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There are no hard and fast rules concerning the lifespan
of a thatched roof. The geographical location of the roof
is a major factor in determining how long it will last. Roofs
in the west country tend to have a shorter life than roofs
in the east of the country, this is partly due to the fact
that roof pitches in the east are steeper and also that the
rain fall levels are much higher in the west. Even water reed,
the longest lasting type of thatch, has a noticeably reduced
lifespan in the west of England. The position of the house
can also greatly influence the life of a roof. A roof at the
bottom of a steep valley or one surrounded by trees will probably
have a shorter life. Quality of workmanship is also an important
factor in the life of a new roof and it has also been found
that high levels of Nitrogen in thatching materials can lead
to early deterioration.
Bearing all these points in mind, a rough guide to the lifespan
of the 3 thatching materials is:
Water Reed --------------- Upwards of 50 years
Combed Wheat Reed --------------- Approximately 25-30 years
Long Straw --------------- Approximately 15-25 years
The life of a ridge can also be affected by its geographical
location, however, 10-15 years is a rough guide to the life
of a new ridge.
If your roof is new it is highly unlikely that you have grass
growing on it. It is almost definitely sprouting wheat. On
combed wheat reed and long straw roofs and on the straw ridges
on water reed roofs sprouting wheat can be a problem. There
is, quite often, in straw used for thatching and ridging a
residual of grain remaining in the ears, when this comes in
contact with water it will sprout and start to grow. Quite
often this will die back and it will not be a problem, if
however it should continue to grow it is advisable to contact
your thatcher and have him spray the affected areas. Sprouting
wheat is probably more of a problem on new long straw roofs
due to the fact that wheat ears are on the surface of the
thatch.
Sometimes after a roof has been completed there is a noticeable
variation in colour in it with some areas being darker or
lighter than others. It must be appreciated that all thatching
materials are natural products and colour variations are not
unusual, after a relatively short period of time these variations
tend to disappear and the roof becomes a uniform colour.
A major cause of moss and grass growth underneath television
aerials is that birds use them to perch on, especially birds
such as Collared Doves. Grass seeds appear to be deposited
on the roof through their droppings and their droppings have
a very high nitrogen content, thus promoting moss growth.
Bar removing your TV aerial there is, unfortunately, very
little that can be done about this problem.
During the last year or two there has been a noticeable increase
in moss and lichen growth on thatched roofs throughout the
country due to the high levels of rainfall that has been experienced
during this time. Moss and lichen can have a detrimental affect
on thatched roofs. It can be seen on roofs throughout the
country, but it is probably most common on roofs in the west
country.
There are two possible ways of dealing with it but it should
be noted that even if it is removed, re-growth will occur
as soon as weather conditions permit. Which does call into
question the advisability of its removal in the first place.
- The growth can be physically removed by brushing the coat
work. This method is probably the most efficient. It should
be noted however, that in removing the growth a certain
amount of the roof comes away with the lichen. This means
that if the roof is an old one, more damage may be caused
to the roof by removing the growth than by just leaving
the roof alone.
- The growth can be killed by spraying the thatch. This
works but the growth remains on the roof and it usually
turns a yellow/grey colour. In time it will probably fall
away but if this is not the case the roof has to be brushed
down.
If wire netting is fitted to the whole roof, this has to
be removed before a roof is brushed down and then refitted
afterwards. This can make the whole process quite expensive.
Roofs are reridged every 10-12 years and when this work is
carried out, roofs are always brushed down which removes any
growth on them. This cycle of maintenance may be the best
way of dealing with moss and lichen growth.
Unfortunately there is no such thing as an average roof.
Each roof is different and even if two roofs are the same
size the price of rethatching can vary due to problems of
access or the number of features i.e. valleys, hips, dormer
windows that a roof has. If you need a price for rethatching
the best thing to do is to contact a thatcher.
If there is a significant difference in the prices gained
for rethatching a roof, there are a number of questions you
should ask.
- Have I received a quotation from both thatchers? If one
price is only an estimate, this is exactly what it is and
as a result the final bill can be higher than the estimated
price.
- Are both thatchers quoting for the same work and to the
same specification? A lower specification will cost less.
- Has one thatcher quoted for a cut block patterned ridge
whilst the other has quoted for a simple flush ridge? There
is a price difference between these ridges.
- If the roof is a water reed roof or a combed wheat reed
roof in the West country. Do both quotes include fitting
wire netting to the whole roof or does one only include
fitting wire netting to the ridge only?
- Is the thatcher offering a creditable warranty? TAS NFU
thatchers do.
The ideal pitch for a thatched roof is 50 degrees, eye brow
windows can however be 45 degrees.
Thatching Advisory Services can provide two types of thatch
surveys.
- When purchasing a thatched house. T.A.S. will carry out
an inspection of the thatch and provide a written report,
giving details of the material the roof is thatched in,
the approximate age of the roof and how much longer it could
last. Information will also be given on what, if any maintenance
is required on the roof and the approximate costs of these
works. This type of survey can usually be carried out within
7 days of initial contact.
- If a full structural survey is required on a property,
this can be arranged by T.A.S. The surveyor carrying out
the survey would be a fully qualified surveyor with an extensive
knowledge of thatch and thatching.
For further details telephone Thatching Advisory Services
Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1264 773820
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