The specific failure points on a polycarbonate roof, and how to judge repair against replacement.
Polycarbonate conservatory roofs fail at a small number of predictable points. Once you know them, the diagnosis is usually straightforward.
This guide covers what goes wrong, what a proper repair involves, and the point at which patching stops being economic.
Almost every polycarbonate roof leak we attend is one of these:
Repositioning panels, renewing gaskets and end caps, clearing and resealing the box gutter, and re-dressing flashing addresses most leaks properly.
What doesn't last is silicone applied over the top of a failed gasket. If a previous repair looks like a smear of sealant, expect it back.
If the panels have discoloured, the bars have degraded and you're calling someone out each winter, a replacement roof — glass or solid — ends the cycle and improves how the room feels. We'll always tell you if we think that's the honest recommendation.
We'll find where the water is actually entering before quoting anything.
Yes, provided the profile is still available or can be matched. We check that before quoting.
That points to flashing or side detail rather than the panels themselves — water is being pushed sideways into a joint that copes with vertical rain.
It is, which is why the existing frame and base need checking before a solid roof is specified. We do that as part of the survey.