Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Rickmansworth
We take a careful look at the flat roof membrane at your property in Rickmansworth, with photos and a written report.
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
- Leaking laps in the waterproofing
- New roofs to check before paving or planting
What happens if roof problems are left?
A visual inspection can miss tiny holes. ELD picks up breaches a visual check might miss, on suitable membranes. In a family home in Rickmansworth, a small roof fault lets water into places you cannot see, such as the loft insulation, the top of a wall or the roof timbers. By the time a stain appears on a ceiling, there’s more to put right.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Electronic leak detection is quoted for your roof, because the method depends on the roof.
What you get with us
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- An independent look at the roof
- Surveys on any day of the week
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
Electronic leak detection in Rickmansworth: what you get
There are different ELD methods. Low-voltage testing is usually done with the surface wet, while high-voltage testing needs a dry, exposed membrane. The right method depends on the membrane and the build-up of the roof and we explain which we will use. We will say if your roof does not suit either method at the outset. We survey single-ply roofs, flat roof membranes and green roofs, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are leaks under green or ballasted roofs and water coming in under a flat roof.
Garages and porches on estates in towns like Rickmansworth frequently have flat roofs. Some older garages have cement sheet roofs, which on buildings from before 2000 may contain asbestos, so a specialist asbestos surveyor should check before they’re disturbed. Each kind of covering, from felt to rubber and GRP, is checked in its own way. We do not test for asbestos, but our reports may flag materials that could contain it.
If any part of the flat roof membrane couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- Rickmansworth (WD3, WD18)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- Quoted for your roof
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed ahead of time. We survey seven days a week, which can make access easier.
Roof by roof
Liquid-applied waterproofing
Small holes in liquid waterproofing may leak. Where the roof suits it, testing can find them.
Bituminous membranes
Many flat roofs use bitumen-based membranes. Whether ELD suits them depends on the build-up.
Your questions about electronic leak detection in Rickmansworth
Is there anything to prepare before you come to Rickmansworth?
Mostly, it is about access: the loft hatch, any locked gates and where to park in Rickmansworth. It also helps to know about any leaks or earlier repairs.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Rickmansworth?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
What does electronic leak detection do?
ELD passes a small electrical current across the roof to locate holes in the membrane. The current only gets through where the membrane is breached so we can pinpoint it.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Usually, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. From inside, the underside of the roof frequently shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs like sagging are noted, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Are you insured?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and details are available on request.
Towns and villages near Rickmansworth
Other services in Rickmansworth
Before and after the survey
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Use boards when working on the roof
- Clear flat roof outlets regularly
- Limit access to the roof
- Share any drawings of the roof
Wet insulation may need attention after a leak. That’s something to discuss with your roofer and other checks can help judge it.
Keep outlets and gutters on flat roofs clear. Standing water puts more pressure on any weak point.
Electronic leak detection in Rickmansworth: local notes
With Chenies Manor House about 3.7 miles north-west, Rickmansworth sits in an area with a long building history. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises.
Anyone responsible for a site like Saint Joan of Arc Catholic School will know that ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season. If you run a business near Charter Place, the flat roofs over shops and commercial units are worth checking before a leak, not after.
Rickmansworth is about 3 miles south-west of Watford, in Hertfordshire. We provide electronic leak detection for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Rickmansworth and the surrounding area. Rickmansworth is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire where we work. You can also see our page for London.
Here we cover the WD3 and WD18 postcode area for electronic leak detection. We cover properties on High Street, Station Road and London Road. Rickmansworth sits on or near the A404 and A412, so getting to you is simple. Close by, we survey roofs in Batchworth (1 mile south), Chorleywood West (1 mile north-west), Croxley Green (1 mile north-east), Mill End (1 mile west) and Woodcock Hill (1 mile south). We also work in nearby towns such as Watford (3 miles north-east), Hemel Hempstead (8 miles north), St Albans (10 miles north-east), Harpenden (13 miles north), Hatfield (13 miles north-east) and Borehamwood (8 miles east).
Landmarks near Rickmansworth
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Rickmansworth Park Junior Mixed and Infant School, Rickmansworth Park and The Coach And Horses Public House, among other places. There’s a railway station in Rickmansworth itself: Rickmansworth station. A little further out are Chiltern Open Air Museum (3.2 miles west) and Charter Place (3.2 miles east). Open spaces near Rickmansworth include Chorleywood Common and Tumbling Bay.
What we do, step by step
The visit has one job: 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 longer on a large roof than a small one, with the construction of the roof playing a part too. Most visits in a town like Rickmansworth start at the front of the house and work round to the back. Rear gardens and side paths frequently give the best view of extensions and back slopes. The loft comes next, where there’s safe access.
- You let us know about the roof and where water is showing.
- We check whether the membrane and build-up suit ELD.
- The test method is chosen to suit the roof.
- The membrane is tested and breaches are found.
- A report with photographs shows where each breach is.
Preparing for the visit
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
Arrange a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
What we’re asked to look at in Rickmansworth
If a flat roof keeps leaking after patching, the hole may be elsewhere. Electronic testing helps pinpoint it.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Leaks under green or ballasted roofs
- Failed seams and laps
- Waterproofing to test before it’s covered
- A flat roof leak that cannot be traced
Take an older house close to Church of St Mary: the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems usually start.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID