Reading · London and the South East
Whitley Wood Electronic Leak Detection
Find out what’s going on with the flat roof membrane before you decide what to do next. We carry out electronic leak detection in Whitley Wood, with photographs and a clear written report.
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Holes around roof penetrations
- Leaks showing away from the breach
Electronic leak detection for homes and businesses in Whitley Wood
ELD can be carried out in more than one way. Low-voltage testing is normally 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’ll explain our choice. We’ll say if your roof does not suit either method at the outset. We survey single-ply roofs, liquid-applied waterproofing and flat roof membranes, and common reasons people get in touch are leaks at pipes, outlets or fixings and patched roofs that still leak.
In a smaller place like Whitley Wood, some flat roofs sit in the open, where wind can catch loose edges and trims. Sun on a flat roof also ages felt and bitumen. Splits, blisters and lifting edges are what to look out for. A flat roof that still holds water days after rain is also worth a closer look.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly.
- Place
- Whitley Wood (RG2, RG7, RG6)
- Region
- Reading
- Price
- Quoted for your roof
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll take it from there. The survey itself takes more time on a big roof than a small one, and the build-up of the roof makes a difference too. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Whitley Wood, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. The loft, where there’s safe access, completes the picture.
- 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.
- We test the roof and locate any breaches.
- A report with photos shows where each breach is.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Arrange a survey
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Related advice
Tips that help
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Stay off the flat roof unless needed
- Keep a note of leaks after rain
- Test new membranes before covering them
- Keep outlets clear of debris
The report records each breach location with photos. Your roofer uses it to carry out repairs.
Keep people off the flat roof unless they need to be there. Many breaches come from foot traffic.
Nearby places to Whitley Wood
Other services in Whitley Wood
How we price electronic leak detection
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Roof area
All our prices include VAT. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof. You’ll know the price for your roof before you book.
Getting in touch
What helps most when you contact us:
- The property’s address and postcode
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before booking.
Whitley Wood: your questions answered
Is my home in Whitley Wood listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Do you cover smaller places like Whitley Wood?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we don’t carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. The report includes photographs of what we found, so you can see each point for yourself.
For landlords and managing agents
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when you book and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the flat roof membrane, with photographs, useful for planning maintenance.
What electronic leak detection does not cover
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Areas we cannot reach or that can’t be tested
- Roofs whose membrane or build-up is not suitable
- Carrying out the repair work
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we look at
- Commercial flat roofs
- Flat roof membranes
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Green roofs
- Single-ply roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
What you can safely check yourself
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Flat and commercial roofs around Whitley Wood
Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Next to the main roofs there’s normally a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit. Stratfield Saye House, about 4.9 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Whitley Wood. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near St Paul's Church, flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near The Oracle, a flat roof over a business is out of sight and out of mind until it leaks. If you own a rental within reach of Reading Green Park station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak.
Whitley Wood is about 2 miles south-west of Earley, in Reading. Anywhere in Whitley Wood, we can carry out electronic leak detection at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Whitley Wood is one of the places in Reading where we work.
Postcode districts we cover here for electronic leak detection: RG2, RG7 and RG6. If you need electronic leak detection at a property on Tidman Road, Church Lane and Spencer Road or anywhere close by, we can help. With the M4 close by, Whitley Wood is simple for us to get to for electronic leak detection. Nearby, we also carry out electronic leak detection in Whitley (1 mile north), Great Lea Common (1 mile south-west), Shinfield (1 mile south-east), Three Mile Cross (1 mile south-west) and Ryeish Green (1 mile south). We also work in nearby towns such as Caversham (4 miles north), Norcot (4 miles north-west), West Reading (3 miles north-west), Tilehurst Within (4 miles north-west), Arborfield Garrison (4 miles south-east) and Caversham Heights (4 miles north). Being one of Reading’s larger places, Whitley Wood has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
Around Whitley Wood
We work in homes and buildings around Pearman's Copse, John Madejski Academy and University of Reading library. You’ll also find Crosfields School (0.7 miles north-east) and The Six Bells pub (under half a mile south-east). The closest station to Whitley Wood is Reading Green Park station, roughly 1.9 miles north-west. A little further out are Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.4 miles north) and The Oracle (2.6 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Sonning Hill and Longwater.