When planning new outdoor entertainment areas, weather protection is often the number one consideration. For families living in Melbourne and Regional Victoria (where weather can be notoriously fickle), one of the first questions we are often asked about our opening roof systems is actually quite simple.
Do Louvre Roofs Protect From Rain?
Yes. If installed correctly and fully enclosed, a louvre roof will provide good protection from rain. The interlocking aluminium blades and built-in drainage channels are designed to allow water to run off the roof and away from your outdoor living space.
However, it is important to note the difference between highly water-resistant outdoor protection and 100% waterproof indoor ceilings. While a closed louvre system will beautifully keep your furniture, barbeque, and guests dry from regular rainfall, heavy downpours depend considerably on the site-specific exposure, wind direction, and the initial installation quality.
Here is exactly how such systems interact with rains and what to expect from an adjustable roof in Australia.
How Does a Louvre Roof Keep Rain Out?
A traditional open pergola provides shade but no protection from rain, whereas one with a solid roof offers the opposite. A louvre roof is a mechanically sophisticated solution to this perennial conundrum, which allows for year-round enjoyment of the outdoors.
When it rains, there are three key elements in a louvre roof that work together to provide shelter from the downpours.
- Interlocking Blades: The aluminium louvres have been formed to a particular profile so that when rotated to their closed position, the edges meet to form a weather-tight seal against falling rain.
- Blade Channels: Rather than sitting stagnant on the surface of the roof, water is guided down the roof via subtle built-in channels found on the roof blades.
- Integrated Guttering: Along the very edge of the louvre system sits an integrated gutter where the water from the blade channels flows down and into. This gutter is linked to pipes that go into your home’s current stormwater system.
What Happens When the Louvre Blades Are Fully Closed?
When the louvres are fully closed, the roof behaves in exactly the same way as a conventional corrugated or metal deck roof. The flat plate formed by the closed louvres will pick up the water and the designed fall of the system will carry the water away into the surrounding guttering.
Because it is made from heavy-duty aluminium, the blades cannot bend, droop, or absorb water, maintaining an interlocking weather-resistant seal for year after year. Under most rain conditions, from light rain to a tropical downpour, the area under your roof will be left dry.
What Happens During Heavy or Wind-Driven Rain?
While louvre roofs are excellent at keeping the rain out from above, harsh weather throws up a challenge. If the rain is being blown sideways due to the wind, then water can seep into the area from underneath the roof.
While the main roof may be closed and keep the rain out, any open sides to the structure allow the rain to be blown in from outside. This is exactly why many Melbourne residents opt to install outdoor blinds in addition to their louvre roofs.
During such intense downpours, the force of falling water can sometimes be so great that individual water drops may splash up and over the blade edges. This happens when the roof pitch is incorrect and/or when the downspouts are undersized.
Can a Louvre Roof Leak?
A correctly constructed and well installed louvre roof should not leak under normal circumstances. If it is leaking when closed, it is most likely due to one or more of the following causes:
- Blocked Drainage: The most common cause of water penetration through a louvre roof. If debris such as leaves or twigs blocks the internal blade channels or the perimeter gutters, water will back up and overflow into the building.
- Incorrect Installation: If the building structure does not have the right pitch, water will be unable to run off it. In addition, the gutters can be improperly sealed along the edges so that water seepage can occur.
- Obstructed Blades: Small twigs or buildup of dirt that do not allow the louvres to close completely will prevent the interlocking seal.
- Surrounding Roof Runoff: If the main house roof that surrounds the unit is dumping large amounts of water directly onto the louvre system, the gutters on the system can become overwhelmed.
Keeping on top of the routine is usually all it takes to avoid unwanted moisture, such as cleaning the gutters and blade channels of the blades.
How Does a Rain Sensor Help?
One of the downfalls of an adjustable roof is remembering to close it. If you go out to enjoy the fresh air with the louvres open, a stray afternoon shower could leave you sitting in a soaking wet garden.
This is where a rain sensor would come in handy. The rain sensor is mounted on the roof structure. As soon as it senses the moisture from the rain, it activates the motorised mechanism to rotate the blades to the fully closed position. This way, the rain will not damage your outdoor area. As soon as the sensor is dry, you may use the roof again.
Are Louvre Roofs Suitable for Melbourne Weather?
Melbourne is renowned for its four seasons in one day; a bright and sunny morning can turn into a wet and windy afternoon in no time. Such capricious weather means that the Victorians can benefit enormously from being able to adjust their outdoor structures to suit the changing conditions.
A standard fixed patio cover is permanent, casting unwanted shade over the garden all year round, but a louvre system enables the Victorian to open to allow the winter sun to stream in, fully open for summer ventilation, and closed securely when the rain threatens to put an end to the outdoor social event.
If you are trying to compare different roofing options for your property and you want to know which ones will endure the local weather, you can refer to our guide, which explains how a pergola roof actually works in Aussie weather.
Louvre Roof vs Fixed Roof: Which Provides Better Rain Protection?
To help you determine what is best for your home, we have prepared a chart that compares common outdoor structures and their resistance to the elements:
| Roof Type | Rain Protection | Ventilation | Adjustable | Automation |
| Fixed Roof | Strong | Limited | No | No |
| Traditional Pergola | None | Excellent | No | No |
| Louvre Roof | Strong when closed | Yes | Yes | Available (Rain Sensors) |
A fixed roof offers the ultimate in watertight security, as it has no moving parts. However, a louvre roof offers equivalent protection from the rain for everyday use while offering the added benefits of total climate control.
What Should You Check Before Installing a Louvre Roof?
Not all opening roof systems are created equal. If you are interested in the best protection from the rain, ask your installer these questions when you talk to them about the roof system:
- What is the blade profile? You want interlocking blades with a deep channel in the interior, not blades that simply overlap one another.
- How is the system drained? Make sure to have commercial-grade perimeter gutters with correctly sized downpipes.
- Where is it all going? A good installer should check your site to make sure the system ties into your existing stormwater drains.
- Is it locally made? Systems made right here in Australia are generally designed to be more resistant to our intense climate than imported flat-pack systems.
- What’s the warranty? Make sure you understand what is covered on both the structural and motorised components of the system.
Why Installation and Drainage Matter
The performance of your louvre roof will be only as good as the expertise of those installing it. A rainproof aluminium louvre blade is not going to prevent water ingress if the structure is incorrect.
When the Louvre Roofs Australia team arrives on site, whether in Melbourne or Regional Victoria, we take into consideration the exposure of the site, the direction of the weather, and the strength of the material to which we have to fix our fascia or blades. We also calculate the required fall so that gravity takes over and ensures the water runs off down and into the gutters. It’s impossible to get that wrong!
Is a Louvre Roof Right for Your Outdoor Area?
If you want to create an all-weather entertaining zone out of your bare patio or deck, you need a louvre roof. It will protect your outdoor dining tables, barbeques, and lounge chairs from summer rains while allowing you to open it up on a sunny day. Just make sure you consider the sides of your new alfresco dining room if the wind is a big problem in your area. To protect your outdoor space from the wind, install outdoor blinds or build a feature wall.
To Conclude
Do louvre roofs keep the rain out? Of course, when closed, the interlocking blades and integrated gutters offer wonderful protection against the weather. Now, I’m not suggesting that an adjustable roof is a submarine, but a well-constructed louvre roof that has been correctly installed will offer fantastic protection against Australia’s occasional downpours.
So, if you’re ready to make your outdoor area more comfortable and want something specifically tailored to your home and the local climate, be sure to give us a call. We can walk you through the process, tell you exactly how the water will drain away from your home, and put together a design that looks great and works brilliantly.
FAQs
Are louvre roofs waterproof when closed?
When fully closed, louvre roofs are completely waterproof and provide maximum protection from the rain. The overlapping blades and special gutters direct the flow of water away from the area below. However, in the case of a severe storm, with strong winds blowing, some water might get through.
Do louvre roofs leak in heavy rain?
A properly installed louvre roof should not let water through when the blades are closed. If the roof is dripping, it’s usually because of blocked gutters, things blocking the louvres stopping them from shutting fully, or the installation being incorrect, meaning that the roof isn’t the right angle for water to run off.
Can you leave a louvre roof open when it rains?
If you leave them open when it’s raining, that’s when it’s going to get messy. There are a number of ways of making sure you can have your roof open, with sensors automatically detecting rain and closing the louvres.
How does a louvre roof drain rainwater?
Rainfall runs off the closed aluminium blades into special slots in the edge of the louvres. This water is then guided by gravity into a main perimeter gutter system, housed at the base of the louvres frame, and diverted into the stormwater system on your property.
Do louvre roofs work in Melbourne’s weather?
Sure, louvre roofs are perfect for Melbourne’s fickle weather. You can open up the blinds to let in some winter sun, part them to allow in hot air and create a cool cross breeze on summer’s hottest day, or simply close the louvres completely against an unexpected downpour.
Are louvre roofs better than fixed pergola roofs in wet weather?
Both fixed roofs and closed louvre roofs provide excellent protection from rain, but a fixed roof does not have adjustable openings, making it a complete barrier to rain. On the other hand, a louvre roof provides the same level of protection from rain and also allows for adjustable ventilation and control of sunlight, which a fixed roof cannot provide.