What causes leaks on Hervey Bay roofs
Frequent rain with a summer peak
February (133.3 mm) and March (132.2 mm) are the wettest months, and September, at 34.3 mm, the driest. September is the month to get a repair done, with time to spare before the wet.
Storms that spin up tornadoes
Fraser Coast Regional Council lists tornadoes among the severe weather it plans for, and one injured four people at Burrum Heads in January 2013. Wind damage tends to start at roof edges and ridges, so that's where a roofer should look first.
Cyclones that crossed K'gari
Cyclone Daisy made landfall on the island in 1972 and caused widespread damage at Hervey Bay. After any big wind, a proper repair includes checking screws and battens, not just patching the hole.
Fixings near the foreshore
The QRA notes that the NCC wants heavily galvanised or stainless steel structural parts on homes within 1 km of the shoreline, inspected regularly. When screws, brackets or flashings are replaced near the water, ask that they're rated for that exposure.
Homes that sit empty
On census night 2021, 10.2% of private dwellings in the Fraser Coast council area were unoccupied, though the census doesn't say why. If your place is a holiday home or sits empty between tenants, a leak can run for weeks before anyone sees it.
Low-pitched and butterfly roofs need a different eye
Hervey Bay's post-war coastal houses often have butterfly, flat or low-pitched roofs. Water moves slowly across them, so a lifted lap or a blocked central gutter leaks far sooner than it would on a steep roof.
BlueScope says sheet overlaps that get bent out of shape can let water in, and on low pitches ponding becomes the risk. Laps can be resealed or refixed, but on a very shallow roof the sheet profile itself has to suit the slope, which depends on its depth and how it's fixed.
If you have a box gutter in the middle of a butterfly roof, get it cleared and checked at least once a year.
What you can check yourself
You can
- Check ceilings and cornices after the first heavy rain of the season
- Look for rust streaks below screws or flashings, from the ground with binoculars
- Ask a neighbour to look inside after storms if the house sits empty
- Keep dated photos of any stains for your roofer and insurer
Leave to a roofer
- Resealing or replacing flashings and sheet laps
- Clearing and repairing box gutters on butterfly roofs
- Swapping rusted screws for coastal-rated fixings
- Any work up on the roof, wet or dry
What to ask a Hervey Bay roofer
- Where exactly is the water getting in, and can you show me photos?
- Are the screws and flashings you're using suited to salt air at my distance from the water?
- Is the sheet profile on my roof right for its pitch?
- Will you clear and check the box gutter while you're up there?
- If the job is over $3,300, can I see your QBCC licence and a written contract?
Our advice
We'd book repairs for September, the driest month, and ask for the whole roof to be checked rather than just the spot above the stain. Near the water, we'd insist on fixings matched to the exposure, so the repair doesn't rust out before the roof does. The national roof repairs page explains the work, and our Hervey Bay page the local picture.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.