Top Tips For Thatched Roof Maintenance

Thatched roof maintenance is important for keeping your property protected from the elements. Having a thatched roof isn't like having a metal or tile roof. Getting a thatched roof repair service to visit your property at regular intervals is important - whether you live in an area with harsh weather conditions or not. With this in mind, here are some tips to help you properly maintain your thatched roof so that the roof's life lasts for as long as possible without having to always bring in the professionals.

How to know when you need thatched roof maintenance:

There are a number of things that can indicate that your thatched roof needs minor repairs or potential larger fixes.

Here are the top tell-tale signs:

1. Excessive amounts of moss growing on the roof's surface

If you notice excessive amounts of moss growing on the thatched roofs surface, you should try and remove this as soon as possible. Ideally, the moss needs to be removed by hand or with a pressure washer. Alternatively, you can make use of hard brushes and brooms that will allow you to remove most of the moss from your property. Remember never to use harsh chemicals on thatch as these can damage the material over time.

2. Lichen growing on the surface

Lichen can cause damage to your thatched roof by holding moisture against the fibres - potentially leading to fungal spores if left untreated. It's best to remove it as soon as possible.

If you're dealing with small patches of algae or lichen, use an old toothbrush dipped in water mixed with washing up liquid to scrub it away. For larger areas, you may need to use a pressure washer or even a fungicide treatment. Be careful not to damage the thatched roof when removing lichen.

3. Regularly blocked gutters and downpipes, which indicates birds nesting in the roof

If you see debris or leaves coming out of your gutters or downpipes, this means that birds are nesting in your roof. If you don't do anything about it, your roof could leak — not only because of what's inside the pipes, but also because there could be holes in the roof where the birds have entered.

You can handle this problem yourself by getting up on a ladder and using garden shears to cut out any nests inside the pipes. If you're not comfortable with heights, let a professional thatcher do it for you.

4. Weeds growing on the surface of the roof

The good news is that weed growth can be stopped by using hot water and detergent.

Here’s how you do it:

Pour the hot water over the weeds. This will kill them.

Once dead, use a brush to remove the weeds from the thatched roof. If you don’t have a brush, you can also use a stiff broom or a suitable rake.

Ensure that you never pull the weeds from the roots because this may cause damage to your thatched roof.

Once you’ve removed all the weeds, pour some more hot water over your thatched roof to ensure that no weed seeds are left behind to grow again in the future.

While thatched roofs offer a unique look to any home, they can be a little more complicated to maintain than other types of roofs. However, this shouldn’t be a deterrent as it is possible for homeowners to perform most of these maintenance tasks themselves.

Potential Larger Fixes

Thatching is a craft, and roofs need to be maintained to keep them in good condition. The ridge is an important part of your roof and will take the brunt of the elements. This is why re-ridging a thatched roof is so important.

You might not think it needs doing if your house looks fine, but how often you need to re-ridge depends on what type of thatch you have, and how well the entire roof is maintained.

Patching

A small hole in your thatched roof is not the end of the world. It’s likely that you won’t even need scaffolding or any other equipment. You can simply repair it with a ladder.

1) Measure the size of the hole before you begin work

2) Cut out a piece of thatch material that's slightly larger than the hole

3) Use nails or wooden pegs to secure it into place

4) Add more layers until they reach the level of the rest of your main thatch

Patching up small holes and gaps right away is important to prevent further water damage on your roof. Also, don’t forget to patch up the leaky areas on your ceiling right away as well.

The drier a roof, the longer a roof's lifespan.

Re-ridging and re-thatching a thatched roof

Re-thatch the whole roof every 7-12 years. The rate at which your roof needs to be re-thatched will depend on a number of factors, such as the quality of the original thatching job, the cladding and whether your roof has been maintained properly. You should also take into account local weather conditions as well as the type of straw or water reed reed used for the roofing materials.

If you are re-thatching your roof, it is highly likely that you will need to re-ridge at this time.

A thatched roof needs to be re-ridged every three to five years. A new ridge is placed over a layer of lime mortar. (The lime mortar is applied right over the old ridge.) If you don't re-ridge when needed, water will start getting into your home through cracks in the roof surface.

Ridge capping is a natural part of the roofing process, but it takes some time to get the hang of it. To start off with, you want to make sure that every ridge is covered. The best way to do this is to measure out your ridges before you start building the roof itself. This will help you figure out how many ridges you will need and how much material to buy.

Once you have figured out how many ridges you need, you can begin cutting them from the top of your thatching material. Once you have cut out the necessary pieces, use some water-based caulk to attach them together. Make sure that they are securely attached before continuing with your thatched roof maintenance.

When in doubt, get it inspected

If you don’t know what you are doing then you should never try to do the work yourself as you could end up causing more damage than good. The last thing you want is for something to go wrong because you didn’t know how to fix something correctly. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

You should always have a professional inspect your thatch at least once a year. They'll be able to spot damage and suggest repairs before leaks become too severe. However, if you're handy with tools, there are many DIY jobs you can do yourself. However, if there has been a recent storm or other event that could damage the thatch, make sure to book an inspection to be sure.

When inspecting the roof, the professional will look for signs of damage or wear and tear. If they find any issues, they should then be able to tell you what type of repair will be needed and what it will cost.

Final Thoughts

The most important part of thatched roof maintenance is to be proactive. Make sure to schedule regular repairs, and don't wait until you have a proper emergency. If you do have a proper emergency, call in professionals with experience working on thatched roofs. Making sure your thatched roof is in good shape can help ensure decades of effective protection from the elements and lower your overall heating costs.

If you're one of the fortunate people with a thatched roof on your property, you probably take good care of it. However, it's important to remember that regular repair is necessary to make sure your roof stays in good condition.

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