A drip from the conservatory roof usually shows up with the first proper autumn rain. The good news is that most leaks come from a small number of places, and very few of them mean the conservatory needs replacing.
Here is where water usually gets in, how to narrow it down and what a repair involves.
Start by watching where it drips
Water travels before it drips, so the wet patch is not always under the leak. Next time it rains, look carefully at where the water first appears. Running along a glazing bar, coming down the house wall or dripping from the middle of a panel all point to different causes.
It also helps to note what kind of weather causes it. A leak that only shows in wind-driven rain is often a different problem from one that drips in any shower.
The usual causes
Perished seals and gaskets
Roof panels sit on rubber gaskets and are held down by caps along the glazing bars. Years of sun and frost can shrink and crack those seals, leaving a gap for water to get under. Replacing or resealing them is a common repair.
Slipped or lifted panels
Roof panels can slowly slide down the slope, or lift in high winds. Once a panel has moved, there is a gap at the top where it should meet the ridge, and water runs straight in. The panel needs to be put back and secured, or replaced if it is damaged.
Cracked polycarbonate or glass
Polycarbonate roofs become brittle with age and can crack, especially if something has fallen on them. Glass roof units can crack or the seals can fail, which lets moisture in between the panes. Damaged panels can usually be replaced individually in the existing roof frame.
Where the roof meets the house
The join between the conservatory and the house wall is protected by flashing. If the flashing has come away or the sealant has failed, water can run down the wall and into the conservatory. This one is easy to mistake for a roof panel leak.
Blocked gutters
Conservatory gutters fill quickly with autumn leaves. When they overflow, water can back up under the roof edge or run down the frames. Clearing them is the first thing to try if the leak is near the bottom of the roof.
Doors and side frames
Not every conservatory leak comes from the roof. A dropped door, a perished seal or a frame that was never properly sealed can let water in lower down. If the conservatory door has also become hard to lock, it has probably dropped, as our guide on dropped UPVC doors explains.
What you can safely do yourself
- Clear the gutters from a ladder that is footed safely on firm ground, never from the conservatory roof
- Look for obvious damage from inside: cracks, gaps at the ridge, panels that look out of line
- Put down towels or a tray to protect floors and furniture
Do not climb onto the conservatory roof. Glass and polycarbonate panels are not designed to take your weight.
Misting in roof panels
If glass roof units have misted between the panes, the seal has failed in the same way as a misted window. It is not usually a leak into the room, but it is worth replacing the units before they get worse. Our post on misted double glazing explains why.
After a storm
A leak that starts suddenly after high winds may mean a panel has lifted or cracked. Our guide on storm damage to windows and doors covers what to do first.
Leaking conservatory near Ludlow?
Steve traces conservatory leaks to the glazing, the seals or the doors, replaces roof panels in glass and polycarbonate, and works on timber and UPVC frames. He covers Ludlow, Leominster and the surrounding area.
See conservatory glass and roofs, misted and broken double glazing and UPVC door repairs, or call 07948 117374.