HallGreenUk Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 Hi all. A lead valley to my roof (normal tiled roof) has got an crack in it. Please see picture. A builder has recommended replacing the lead with Leadax. Has anyone had experience of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyshouse Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 No, best thing to do is nothing! Is it leaking? you should specify what you want if it was mine I would want lead to LDA standard, should last 80 to 100 years it is possible to piece in a new bit of leas with overlaps. stick on solutions will only be a temporary fix. I could letterbox in a small tongue of lead that would last 15 to 20 yrs but that would be a ‘bodge job’ I can’t really see your crack but I hav seen it all before, lead should be laid in sections 1.5m possibly 1.8m long with overlaps 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HallGreenUk Posted May 23, 2021 Author Share Posted May 23, 2021 10 minutes ago, tonyshouse said: No, best thing to do is nothing! Is it leaking? you should specify what you want if it was mine I would want lead to LDA standard, should last 80 to 100 years it is possible to piece in a new bit of leas with overlaps. stick on solutions will only be a temporary fix. I could letterbox in a small tongue of lead that would last 15 to 20 yrs but that would be a ‘bodge job’ I can’t really see your crack but I hav seen it all before, lead should be laid in sections 1.5m possibly 1.8m long with overlaps Thanks Tony - yes it is leaking. I have been advised by a roofer to take out the Lead and use Leadax instead (he said he can do it all-in for £800 with a 5 year guarantee). He said Leadax is a long term permanent replacement to lead. I'm not sure as never heard of it before. I will show another picture with the crack and a temp fix someone did. He guaranteed it would last but started leaking again after a few months so now looking for a long-term fix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyshouse Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 Thanks for the pic. Not as bad or urgent as I was dreading It is a very very bad idea to stick Flashband over the top of lead and worse to go on top of the slates too! do nothing ! temporaty fix would be to slide a piece of Flashband in under the slate 50/50 over the crack and 10mm too long at the end of the crack. proper job, weld a piece of lead over it, replace valley in new lead , it should be done in sections 1.5 to 1.8m long code 5 lead to allow for thermal expansion LDA = Lead Development Association Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HallGreenUk Posted May 23, 2021 Author Share Posted May 23, 2021 Thanks Tony really appreciate it. I was told the only fix was replacing the entire valley. However, you reckon it can be fixed by welding a piece of lead over the crack without replacing the entire valley - thanks for pointing that out. If that can last a few good years I probably get that done and then in a 5 years get the valley replaced when I was planning to do the entire roof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 I’d be taking out a few of those slates and then cutting out where the crack is. New lead under the top section and over the bottom, overlap by about 100mm or so and then relay the slates That is a very shallow valley - is it a sarked roof out of interest ..?? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HallGreenUk Posted May 23, 2021 Author Share Posted May 23, 2021 9 minutes ago, PeterW said: I’d be taking out a few of those slates and then cutting out where the crack is. New lead under the top section and over the bottom, overlap by about 100mm or so and then relay the slates That is a very shallow valley - is it a sarked roof out of interest ..?? Thanks - don't think it is sarked but have never seen it up close so not sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 I'd go with @PeterW suggestion. Perhaps under/overlapping the lead more like 150mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyshouse Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 Does it leak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HallGreenUk Posted May 23, 2021 Author Share Posted May 23, 2021 Just now, tonyshouse said: Does it leak? Yeah it does Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epsilonGreedy Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 1 hour ago, PeterW said: That is a very shallow valley - is it a sarked roof out of interest ..?? The roof pitch looks decent i.e. over 30 degrees. If the shallow valley lead work a consequence of a single valley board bridging over the deeper underlying V where the rafters intersect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 Do it properly with GRP. Then forget about it for 40 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyshouse Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Thermal expansion creep crack, will continue to grow and eventually Tracy right across the sheet. I would cut it square ti the valley right across and insert a piece as PW 300mm long 150mm up under and 150mm down over the top. It might be possible to slide it up under the slates each side without removing them. Normally I would copper nail the sides and top edges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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