Storm Repair in Barrow

The Problem

Storm Arwen brought sustained 80mph winds to Barrow-in-Furness, causing widespread damage across the town. This semi-detached house on an exposed estate suffered particularly badly — approximately 15 slates were torn from the front roof slope, two ridge tiles were blown off completely, and the lead step flashing at the party wall had lifted and partially detached from its mortar chase. Rain was pouring directly into the front bedroom and the loft space through the missing slates, and water was tracking down the party wall through the lifted flashing, causing damp to spread into the neighbouring property as well. The homeowner called us at 7am during the storm, desperate for emergency help. With the storm still raging, immediate permanent repairs were impossible, but the water ingress was causing escalating damage every hour.

Our Solution

Our emergency team arrived within 2 hours and immediately installed temporary weatherproofing — heavy-duty reinforced tarpaulins secured with timber battens and weighted sandbags over the damaged areas. This stopped the water ingress immediately and protected the property through the remainder of the storm. Once the weather cleared three days later, we returned with full scaffold to carry out permanent repairs. The missing slates were replaced with reclaimed concrete tiles colour-matched to the existing roof covering. Five additional slates that had cracked but not fallen were also replaced. The two missing ridge tiles were re-bedded in SBS-modified mortar on a dry fix system with stainless steel clips, upgrading from the original mortar-only bedding that had failed in the wind. The lifted lead step flashing at the party wall was completely remade — the old lead was stripped, a new mortar chase was cut, and fresh Code 4 lead was installed with proper lead wedges and sealed with flexible sealant. While on the scaffold, we also inspected the entire roof and identified three further slates with compromised fixings that we re-nailed to prevent future wind damage.

The Result

The permanent repairs were completed within a week of the initial storm, and the property has been completely weatherproof since. The upgraded dry fix ridge system provides far greater wind resistance than the original mortar bedding, and the new lead flashing has eliminated the party wall damp that was affecting both properties. The homeowner's insurance covered the full cost of the emergency response and permanent repairs, and we liaised directly with the insurer's loss adjuster to streamline the claims process. We provided a 10-year guarantee on all roof repair work.

Reclaimed Concrete Roof Tiles

The replacement tiles were sourced from a local reclamation yard, colour-matched to the existing roof covering. Using reclaimed tiles rather than new ensures a visual match with the weathered existing tiles — new tiles would stand out as obvious patches. Each replacement tile was individually checked for soundness and correct profile before installation.

Dry Fix Ridge System

The two replacement ridge tiles were secured using a modern dry fix system comprising stainless steel ridge clips, a flexible waterproof ridge roll, and mechanical screw fixings into the ridge board. This system provides significantly greater wind uplift resistance than mortar bedding and eliminates the maintenance requirement of traditional mortar that fails in Cumbria's climate.

Code 4 Milled Lead

The replacement party wall flashing was formed from Code 4 milled lead, stepped to follow the brick coursing and chased 25mm into raked mortar joints. Lead wedges provide mechanical retention while the flexible mastic sealant accommodates any future thermal movement at the chase.

Emergency Weatherproofing Materials

The temporary protection comprised heavy-duty 200gsm reinforced polyethylene tarpaulins with welded seams and stainless steel eyelets. These are significantly stronger than standard tarpaulins and can withstand sustained high winds when properly secured with timber battens and sandbag ballast.