HousesA home inspector has helped one member of the public identify the cause of a leak in their roof.

Lon Grossman, president of Technihouse Inspections, answered a reader's question on hometownlife.com about the source of a leak between the chimney and the roof.

He said the problem was with the chimney flashing - which is the L-shaped metal plate designed to provide a waterproof barrier around the area to stop rain water getting through.

Mr Grossman added that homeowners should not be tempted to solve the problem with tar.

"Tar should never be used in an attempt to 'caulk' a leak. Tar always dries and cracks," he stated.

Homeowners have been advised by freelance writer SE Jones that they can take steps to stop draughts coming down their chimney and making their property feel cold.

Writing an article on Helium, Mr Jones said that having a working flue or investing in a fireplace cover are two steps people could take to stop this problem from occurring.