Leaky Velux roof window

[JBJ]

Hi. Noticed a small damp patch appearing on my bedroom ceiling last week and, after going into the loft, it appears the floor is a bit damp under where the Velux window is (loft is fully boarded). No signs of damp on any of the roof boarding, so can only assume it’s the window itself. Is it a big job to reseal? Not sure if it’s something I can do or if I need to get someone in? Is it a roofer I need? Currently have a tarp down with puppy pads on to soak up any water, but obviously it needs sorting properly.

Thanks in advance:)

About 15 years ago we had a similar problem. The expensive bit would have been the scaffolding to access the window, the actual sealing of it was a 15-30 minute job. Luckily for us our builder was willing & able to access the window from the garage roof & squirt some sealant around it & we never had another problem. We were also lucky in that DH had a builder friend who came over one evening & did it for us on the cheap. Beware of panicking & taking the first person who is willing to do it & could overcharge you. Good luck finding a builder this side of the New Year as they will all be taking 2 weeks off.

So it needs accessing from the outside? That’s going to be fun as it’s directly above the conservatory, so definitely a scaffolding job. Unfortunately, I don’t have scaffolding money at the minute! Thankfully, it’s not leaking badly, as I’ve just been up whilst it’s pouring down, and it’s just a bit of a drip, so it’s manageable with a tarp etc for now, but obviously will need sorting properly. I was hoping it was something that could be done from inside the loft.

The thing is that if it's leaking from outside (which is probable) sealing it on the inside will stop it coming through the ceiling for the time-being, but won't stop the leak, but likely to make the water run along the inside of the roof & damage the timbers supporting your roof causing worse & more expensive damage to repair. You need an expert (preferably at least 3 experts) to take a look. Might your household insurance pay out? It's worth asking.

I feel for you - such a worry especially at this time of year when Tradespeople are taking a well-earned holiday. Good luck & I hope that you have a good Christmas despite your concerns about your house.

It may make you feel a bit better, but in the early 1990's with interest rates sky-high we had 3 DCs under the age of 8, were mortgaged up to our eyes, I was working 2 jobs, DH had his own business. Then, on Christmas Eve our combination boiler decided to die. No hot water, no heating & no chance of going to the bank to see if we could get a loan. Then, to top it all, it snowed & the electric went out for 2 days. We were lucky that we lived in a cottage with a big open fire & had plenty of logs. Our neighbours had an Aga & were kind enough to cook for us. The DCs still talk about the Christmas when we all slept in the living room in sleeping bags & duvets front of the fire, playing board games by candlelight with the <battery operated> radio playing music & say it was the best Christmas ever.

Our leaking Velux was leaking where the sealed unit slotted into the frame. The window can be removed inside and then you can buy a kit to reseal. DH did it but you need to be a little bit handy.

Yeah I’ve done a Christmas with no boiler. Still recovering from the cost of replacing it! I’m wondering if the glass will move enough to be able to seal the outside from inside, iyswim? It’s not high up and I can fully stick my head out and look around (enough to see there’s also a broken roof tile about 6ft further over. Something else that needs fixing!), so might be accessible if the window is flexible enough. Can’t really test the theory whilst it’s hammering it down however! I’ve messaged a bloke I’ve used before for roofing jobs, so hopefully he’ll be able to pop round as he lives locally, and I’ll contact a couple of others.

If you have someone who's local & worked for you in the past I'm sure they will come & take a look. If they can stop the leak even on a temporary basis that is a good thing. I so feel for you - roof problems are something that is difficult & you always worry about being ripped off and/or that it's going to turn into something expensive. Added to that it being so close to Christmas only adds to your stress. Thinking of you. 😘

Well, just to update, it’s been looked at and it’s actually the whole frame of the window that’s rotten (old wooden one). Been botched up for now with some sealant, but ultimately needs the whole thing replacing. Roofer has quoted me £700 supply and fit, including replacing the broken roof tile. Says he can access the job from inside the loft, so no scaffolding needed. £700 more than I’ve currently got spare, but I don’t think it’s that bad a price.

This almost exact thing happened to us just before Christmas. Where are you in the country? We are Herts and I bought a new window online for about £400 (would have been cheaper but I included the fitted blackout blind) and the roofer fitted it for £150 ....so you might be able to save a bit by shopping around. Best of luck!