Medway · London and the South East
Electronic leak detection in Hale, Medway
Electronic leak detection in Hale, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Leaks at pipes, outlets or fixings
- Damage from equipment installers
- Failed seams and laps
How electronic leak detection works in Hale
Some flat roofs cannot be tested electronically. Some membranes conduct electricity themselves, and some build-ups lack the layer the test needs below the membrane. If your roof isn’t suitable, we will tell you before any testing. Any details you have about the membrane and build-up help us decide, such as drawings or specifications. It avoids arranging a test that can’t give results. If you’re worried about new roofs to check before paving or planting and patched roofs that still leak, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on roof terraces and balconies, single-ply roofs and green roofs alike.
Older buildings in small places like Hale may be listed or in a conservation area, and that can affect how an extension roof or dormer is re-covered. Check with the council before planning any change of material. Knowing the roof’s condition is the starting point. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest.
Where we cannot see part of the flat roof membrane, the report says so. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Hale (ME5)
- Region
- Medway
- Prices
- Quoted for your roof
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the flat roof membrane as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit usually takes more time on a big roof than a small one, and the build-up of the roof makes a difference too. Around Hale, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- We start with what you know about the roof and the leak.
- The roof is assessed for suitability first.
- We choose a low-voltage or high-voltage method to match the roof.
- We test the roof and locate any breaches.
- A report with photos shows where each breach is.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Arrange a survey
We survey roofs on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
Questions from Hale
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Hale, take more of a battering?
Often, yes. Within about 3 miles of the sea, as Hale is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Will you come out to Hale?
Yes. Hale is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Can every flat roof be tested?
ELD does not suit every roof. Some membranes conduct electricity, and some build-ups lack a suitable layer below. We will tell you if yours isn’t suitable at the start.
What happens after the survey?
We email you the written report with photographs and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
How do I book a survey in Hale?
Simply call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
How soon will I get the report?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run seven days a week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
DIY checks: what’s safe
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That is where a survey comes in.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
What electronic leak detection looks like in Hale
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Hale, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Coastal wind works at the edges of flat roofs, and salt air wears metal trims and fixings. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere.
For businesses in and around places like Pentagon Shopping Centre, the flat roofs over shops and commercial units are worth checking before a leak, not after. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Kingfisher Community Primary School, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Hale is about 1 mile south-west of Gillingham, in Medway. Hale is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. Across Medway, we cover Hale. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the ME5 postcode area for electronic leak detection. We also cover the places around Hale: Darland (1 mile south-east), Capstone (1 mile south-east), Luton (1 mile north-west), Gillingham (1 mile north-east) and Chatham (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Rochester (3 miles north-west), Strood (4 miles north-west), Hoo St Werburgh (4 miles north), Rochester Riverside (3 miles north-west), Peters Village (4 miles west) and Frindsbury (3 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Hale
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Star pub, Chatham Grammar School for Girls and Darland Banks and the streets around them. The closest station to Hale is Gillingham (Kent) station, roughly 1.6 miles north of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Rochester Castle (2.9 miles north-west) and Pentagon Shopping Centre (1.9 miles north-west). For a walk, there is Blue Bell Hill and Burham Down.
What we look for on each type of roof
Bituminous membranes
Bituminous roofs frequently have laps and old repairs that can leak. We test where the roof suits it.
EPDM rubber roofs
Whether an EPDM roof can be tested depends on the membrane and build-up. We look at this first.
Tips that help
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Clear flat roof outlets regularly
- Share any drawings of the roof
- Check new waterproofing before handover
- Find the breach before more patching
If water has been getting in, insulation under the membrane may be wet. That is something to discuss with your roofer and other checks can help judge it.
Check contractors protect the waterproofing when they work up there. Have the roof looked at after other work.
More services for Hale
What we’re asked to look at in Hale
When the membrane is buried, holes can’t be seen at all. ELD can work on some covered roofs, depending on the build-up.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Damage from equipment installers
- Water coming in under a flat roof
- Waterproofing to test before it’s covered
- Stains far from any visible defect
Restoration House, about 2.7 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hale. Older homes nearby may have later flat-roofed extensions or dormers, often re-covered more than once.
Questions to ask before booking
- Are they insured for the work?
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Which limits apply to the survey