Victorian Semi-detached House
Victorian Semi-Detached House
We recently carried out a Home survey on a late Victorian semi-detached house. When inspecting the roof void, it was found that the underside of the tiles had been sprayed with an insulation foam, presumably to improve the thermal efficiency of the property but also to help prolong the life of the roof covering.
This practice is not recommended generally by Chartered Surveyors as it can lead to many difficulties, for example tiled roof coverings are not completely impervious to weather penetration particularly wind-blown weather penetration. As a result, there is a risk of water/moisture being trapped between the tiles and the spray foam. This trapped moisture, over a long period of time, can cause rot/decay to the hidden timbers and battens. Furthermore, if weather penetration/leakage occurs it can be very difficult to ascertain its exact location making future repairs and maintenance to the roof covering difficult. There will also be difficulty in the cleaning of the tiles in future when replacing the roof covering.
When the roof covering finally has to be replaced, the likelihood is that a number of the tiles won't be able to be used again and there may be some rotten/defective rafters that will need to be replaced as part of this procedure. There is also a risk that any trapped water will run down behind the foam and cause dampness to the tops of the walls. The likelihood is that the foam will be classified as hazardous waste and will need to be disposed of via a licensed Local Authority tip which could be expensive.
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Toby Plenderleith Surveying Ltd
Lanchet Cottage, Stuckton, Fordingbridge, SP6 2HF
07875 438531 toby@tpsurveyors.co.uk
