We find the cause of the leak, not the stain
A wet patch on a bedroom ceiling is often two metres from the hole. We start in the attic with a torch, follow the track back up the felt, then wet test the suspect area from outside until we can prove where the water gets in.
Also searched as roof leak repair, finding a roof leak, water coming through the ceiling, or a roof that only leaks in heavy rain.
Updated September 2026
Water coming in right now? Ring 085 220 1422. We do emergency call outs.
Four steps, in this order
Attic inspection and moisture check with a torch and meter
Hose test on the suspect section, one area at a time
Photo report showing what is actually failing
Repair the cause, then retest before we leave the site
If we cannot prove where it comes in, we do not start guessing with sealant.
The usual culprits
Valleys, especially old mortar or cement ones
Roof windows, where the flashing kit was fitted wrong
Cracked or slipped slates letting water onto torn felt
Blocked gutters backing water up under the bottom course
Condensation in a poorly ventilated attic looks exactly like a leak and is fixed completely differently. We check for it.
Roof leak questions we get asked
Why does my roof only leak in heavy rain?
Wind-driven rain gets past details that cope fine with normal rain: a short lead upstand, a gap at a verge, an underlap on a valley. If a leak only appears in a storm from one direction, that direction usually tells us which side of the roof to test first.
Can you fix a leak without scaffolding?
Often yes, for a single slate or a flashing within reach of a roof ladder. Chimney work and anything on a steep or fragile roof needs proper access, and we will not send someone up a ladder to do a job that needs scaffold.
How much does leak detection cost?
Tracing the leak and giving you a photo report is part of our free survey for jobs in our area. Most leak repairs then cost €250 to €900, for example a flashing, a section of valley or a few slates. Bigger jobs are priced as a fixed sum once we know what is actually wrong.
Is it a leak or condensation?
If the damp is spread evenly across the ceiling, worse in winter, and the attic feels stuffy with damp felt on the underside, it is usually condensation from blocked eaves ventilation. A leak is normally a defined patch that grows during rain and dries afterwards.
Everything we do on a roof
We cover all three counties: roofers in Kerry, roofers in Cork and roofers in Limerick.
Where leaks actually come from
A leak is nearly always a detail rather than a failed covering. Lead at a chimney or a valley, a blocked gutter putting water down the wall, or an upstand on a flat roof that stops short. These pages explain what each one involves so you can see where yours fits.
Two leaks we see every winter have their own pages: a tired skylight dome on a flat roof, and an unused chimney letting rain straight down the flue, which chimney capping solves.
If yours only drips in a storm, our article on a roof leaking in heavy rain explains what to do on the day and where to look first.
Stop guessing where the water is coming from
We will trace it, prove it with photos and fix the cause. Free survey across Kerry, Cork and Limerick.