No roof felt...is this normal?

[James Amor]

Following the recent high winds I ventured up into the roof (for the first time since moving in) to check for any damage. I was suprised to notice that there isn't any roof felt, you can see straight on to the underside of the tiles.

Is this normal? If so, is there anything I should be doing to keep the weatherproofing in good condition? The slates appear to have been pointed at some stage, but most of it has fallen off. Should I look at repointing the inside of the roof?!

Cheers for any advice, James

[:::Jerry::::]

What age is the house ?

[chris French]

In message , James Amor writes

for older houses yes. Not sure when they started using felt underneath it, but our 30's semi didn't have any originally.

Is there any evidence of problem.

Slates or tiles? Our old tiled roof was pointed (it'd had gone, but the evidence was left all over the loft....). We had slate roof and that wasn't - I'd have thought slates were too thin.

As to what to do. Well, if there is no evidence of water penetration I'd not worry about it.

[James Amor]

It is a tiled roof (terminology on my part!). There doesn't seem to be any evidence of water penetration, but I though prevention mught be better than cure!

Cheers for the info.

[James Amor]

I reckon it is 20's - 30's (the girlfriends house...I'm just the lodger!)

[Andy Hall]

To put felt where it would be useful to prevent water penetration, would involve taking the tiles off and the battens, laying felt, new battens and the tiles. Not worth it unless there are problems.

Felt also reduces dirt penetration into the loft. You do want ventilation though.

It may be useful to add insulation in the loft and to seal any openings from inside the house into the loft.

[Space_Cowby]

probaly pre 1950 if there is no sarking felt

[Christian McArdle]

Completely normal.

good condition?

The important thing is to own some binoculars. Every couple of months, or immediately after a storm, go outside and examine the tiles with the binoculars. Replace any slipped slates. If you lose one slate, then it isn't a problem short term, but two next to each other results in water in the bedroom. You want to replace slipped ones before they get joined by their friends to stop this happening.

Whatever you do, don't to be tempted to use that spray on sarking stuff. Just install breathable membrane type sarking next time the roof covering is replaced/entirely overhauled.

Christian.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Roof felting is there to windprrof, not waterproof. The slates do that.

Its useful because it stops slates lifting in storms.

Its not necessary.

When the tie coes to re-roo, add felt. Not before. Waste of time and money.

Concentrate more on a decent insulation layer between or extremely cold roof and the upstairs rooms. And draughtproofing it.

[Ian White]

And immediately after any fall of wind-driven powder snow, get up in the loft with the wet vac - quick, before it melts into the insulation. Same applies to horizontal gale-driven rain - oh dear, too late for the vac anyway.

That is what prompted us to get the felting job done, several years ago... and the general muck that was always blowing in... and the wasps' nests... and the bats. It totally transformed the loft into a civilised, dry storage space.

[Rob Morley]

If I had bats in the roof space I wouldn't do anything to disturb them - they're protected by legislation anyway.

[Christian McArdle]

Alternatively, just staple some hardboard over the joists. There'll be plenty of ventilation between the tiles to keep things nice and you can leave a few holes to ventilate the loft itself.

Christian.

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

I used to live in a late 30's house that did have it. no evidence of it ever having been re-roofed (All identical houses had the same tiles..loads of moss as well)

sPoNiX

[Christian McArdle]

A lot of "modern" building practices started to be more widely used in the

1930s, but didn't become almost universal until later. I can think of plasterboard and cavity walls for two more.

Christian

[Tony Bryer]

Marley concrete roofing tiles - which probably were talked of with derision by many 1930's roofers but have outlasted many clay ones of similar vintage.

[Andrew Chesters]

SNIP

You would if you could. One or two sweet little fledemaus is one thing. However, when the colony grows a bit, and the seek some lebensraum, you will want to reach for the bat traps.

They will move into the cavities, and if there are gaps, your bedroom too. Once in the house, as it is illegal to disturb them, you might as well move out.

It is not impossible to get them moved, just d@mned difficult. English Nature look after them.

[Rob Morley]

I don't have cavities. If they moved into the house I expect they'd keep the cat entertained.

[Ian White]

Fortunately the bats themselves decided to move on, as soon as they realised the house had other occupants.

Lifted loft hatch; exit two bats, never to return.

(Defendant claims that he did call out "Whoops - sorry!" and begs for mercy.)