A ceiling stain is rarely directly under the fault. Water runs along battens, sarking and joists before it drips through the plaster. Royce Roofing traces where water is actually getting into your tiled roof, fixes the cause, and stocks its own replacement tiles so the repair is not held up waiting on a supplier.
At a glance
- Most tiled roof leaks come from cracked tiles, failed ridge pointing, rusted valleys, flashings or blocked gutters
- We find the source, not just the drip
- Replacement tiles matched from our own Mulgrave and Doveton yards
- We specialise in terracotta and concrete tiled roofs
- Free inspection and a fixed written quote
The most common causes of tiled roof leaks
Cracked or slipped tiles
Storms, branches, foot traffic and age crack tiles or knock them out of line. We replace them with a matched tile from our yard.
Failed ridge bedding and pointing
Cracked mortar under the ridge caps lets wind-driven rain in. The fix is a rebed and repoint.
Rusted valley irons
Valleys carry the most water on the roof. Rusted ones leak straight into the roof space. See valley repairs.
Blocked valleys and gutters
Leaves and debris dam water until it backs up under the tiles. Clearing it is sometimes the whole fix.
Flashings and penetrations
Flashings around chimneys, walls, vents, skylights and solar mounts can lift or corrode. We reseal or replace them.
Damage from other trades
Antenna, solar and air-conditioning installers walking on tiles can crack them without anyone noticing.
Torn or missing sarking
Sarking is the roof’s second line of defence. When it fails, small faults above it become leaks below.
Condensation
Some ‘leaks’ are condensation in a poorly ventilated roof space. We check for it so you do not pay to fix the wrong thing.
Several causes at once
If failing areas are everywhere, a restoration may be better value than repeated repairs.
Signs you have a roof leak
- Brown or yellow stains on the ceiling, often spreading after rain
- Bubbling or peeling paint and sagging plaster
- Drips or damp patches that appear only in heavy or wind-driven rain
- A musty smell or mould in upstairs rooms or wardrobes
- Damp or flattened insulation in the roof space
- Water marks on timber battens and rafters
- Tile grit, mortar or broken tile pieces in the gutters
Not sure where to look? Our guide to the most common places a roof leaks walks through each one.
Leaking roof?
Call us or book online. We will find the source and give you a fixed quote.
How we find and fix the leak
- Ask where and whenWhich room, which weather, how long. Leaks that only show in wind-driven rain point to different causes than steady drips.
- Check the roof spaceWater tracks along timber before it drips. We follow the stains and water marks back toward the source.
- Inspect the roof surfaceTiles, ridge capping, valleys, flashings, penetrations and gutters above and upslope of the affected area.
- Fix the causeReplace tiles, rebed and repoint, replace valleys or reseal flashings, using stock from our own yards.
- Tell you what else we sawIf other parts of the roof are close to failing, we tell you so you can plan, not so we can upsell.
What to do while you wait
- Put a bucket or towels under the drip and move furniture, electronics and valuables away
- If the ceiling is bulging or sagging, keep people out of that room
- If water is near light fittings or power points, turn off that circuit at the switchboard and call an electrician
- Take photos of the damage inside and out for your insurer
- Never climb onto a wet roof
Wet tiles are slippery and easy to crack, and falls from roofs cause serious injuries every year. Leave it to an insured crew with proper safety rail. More tips in temporary fixes for a leaking roof and what to do when your roof leaks.
Why you should not leave a leak
A small leak rarely stays small. Water that gets past failed bedding soaks insulation, stains and weakens plasterboard, rots battens and can reach electrical wiring in the roof space. Damp roof spaces also grow mould. The longer a leak runs, the more of the repair is inside the house rather than on the roof.
Melbourne averages around 650 mm of rain a year across about 100 rain days, so a leak that only shows in heavy rain will keep coming back until the cause is fixed.
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology: Melbourne Regional Office climate averages.
What affects the cost of a leak repair
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Cause | Replacing a cracked tile is quicker than rebedding ridges or replacing a valley. |
| How long it has been leaking | Long-running leaks can damage battens, sarking and insulation that also need attention. |
| Height and pitch | Double-storey and steep roofs need more safety set-up. |
| Tile availability | Discontinued profiles may need reclaimed stock from our yards. |
| Number of entry points | Some roofs have more than one leak, especially after storms. |
Your quote is fixed and written after the inspection.
Leaks and home insurance
Moneysmart says most home insurance covers storm damage, including wind, hail and rainwater. Gradual leaks caused by wear and tear or lack of maintenance are a common exclusion. Photograph the damage, keep receipts for emergency work, and talk to your insurer early about what they need from a roofer.
Sources: Moneysmart: Storm, flood and fire insurance; Financial Counselling Australia: Wear-and-tear exclusions.
Roofer or plumber?
For a leak through a tiled roof, call a roof tiler. Laying, bedding and pointing roof tiles is roof tiling work; Victoria’s building and plumbing regulator registers domestic builders limited to roof tiling for tile installation, bedding, pointing and re-roofing. Gutters, downpipes and roof drainage fall under the roofing (stormwater) plumbing class, so a leak from a failed gutter or box gutter may need a plumber.
Sources: BPC: Domestic builder limited to roof tiling; BPC: Roofing (stormwater) plumbing work.
Common questions
Can you fix a roof leak while it is raining?
It is not safe to work on a wet tiled roof. We can usually assess the problem and, where it is safe, make a temporary fix to stop further damage, then complete the permanent repair once the roof has dried out.
Why is the stain not under the leak?
Water rarely drips straight down. It runs along battens, sarking and ceiling joists before it finds a way through the plaster, so the source can be a metre or more away from the stain. That is why we trace the leak in the roof space first.
Will one repair stop all my leaks?
If the leak has a single cause, yes. If the roof has several failing areas such as old pointing, rusted valleys and cracked tiles, we will tell you, because a full roof restoration may be better value than paying for repeated individual repairs.
Why does my roof only leak in heavy rain?
Leaks that appear only in heavy or wind-driven rain usually point to failed ridge pointing, overflowing valleys or gutters, or lifted flashings. Light rain drains away normally, but heavy rain overwhelms or is blown past the weak spot. These are worth fixing before the next big storm.
How do I fix a leaking roof from the inside?
You cannot fix a tiled roof leak from the inside. You can limit damage by catching drips, moving valuables and keeping people away from a bulging ceiling. The repair itself is made on the roof, at the point where water is getting in, which is often upslope of the stain.
Does home insurance cover a leaking roof?
Storm damage from wind, hail or rain is usually covered, but leaks from wear and tear or lack of maintenance often are not. Check your policy, photograph the damage, and contact your insurer early. Keeping up routine maintenance helps show damage came from a storm.
My roof is leaking, who do I call?
For leaks through a tiled roof, call a roofer who specialises in tiles. For leaks from gutters, downpipes or box gutters, a roofing plumber may be needed. If you are not sure which, call us; we will tell you honestly whether it is a job for our crew.
Do you repair leaks in metal roofs?
We specialise in tiled roofs, both terracotta and concrete. That is where our crews, our tile yards and our matching service add the most value, so we focus our leak detection and repair work on tiled roofs across Melbourne.
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