My slate roof is a pain. The roof is ok but the dust blown in under the slates and the dust from the concrete holding the slates means that everything is covered in dust. I was at one time contemplating making up a PVA/water mix and just coating the back the slate to at least dust proof things but I am convinced there must be something better out there. Whilst compling with building regs is there anything available on the market at a sensible price that is ok to fix onto the back of the roof timbers? I was thinking some sort of breathable membrane with a gap at the eaves and a small gap running either side of the ridge for ventilation. I don't like the idea of the spray on foam as a) it is expensive and b) is rather permanent should any work need doing in the future. There must be thousands of roofs like this....one would think there must be quite a few solutions too!
Slate roof with no underfelt
- Thread starter matienzo
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Odd idea: Buy yourself a cheap lot of white cotton material. Tack it onto the inside of the roof. Plenty of airflow. Not much dirt gets past. This is a touch eccentric, but it works. Does it comply with your building regs? I haven't a clue.
tip: dont line the back of the slates with anything that stops it breathing and seals it. Air flow is vital in a roof space to prevent condensation and thus rotting timbers.
the cotton idea is cheap and effective, or you can get proprietry sheet material with vents at strategic places. building regs wouldnt need to be concerned with the use of cotton.. (not material (doh) change of use or structural alteration)
what ever you do dont fit something thats not reversable.
i've seen many roofs which have been 'sealed' and damp quickly sets in. and its much harder to replace and damaged or slipped slates.
hope this helps.
the cotton idea is cheap and effective, or you can get proprietry sheet material with vents at strategic places. building regs wouldnt need to be concerned with the use of cotton.. (not material (doh) change of use or structural alteration)
what ever you do dont fit something thats not reversable.
i've seen many roofs which have been 'sealed' and damp quickly sets in. and its much harder to replace and damaged or slipped slates.
hope this helps.
I think there is a firm which sprays the underneath of your tiles with foam which will seal them but you would need to put soffit vents in your roof before you do it----they advertise in national papers, perhaps they could do the lot for you.
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the theory in principle is great.
but as i said.. you MUST have adequate ventilation in the roof space.
it is very difficult to get decent ventilation if you seal most of the underside of your roof..
old roofs are very draughty. mine is.. but providing that you seal all the large holes to stop animals and birds (watch for wasps nests too), and use decent loft insulation then there is no problem.
you can get a membrane which fits to the rafters and then installed into that are about 10 vents (depends on the size of the roof).
the spray stuff is a cheap and nasty quick fix.
all in all its not worth it.
but as i said.. you MUST have adequate ventilation in the roof space.
it is very difficult to get decent ventilation if you seal most of the underside of your roof..
old roofs are very draughty. mine is.. but providing that you seal all the large holes to stop animals and birds (watch for wasps nests too), and use decent loft insulation then there is no problem.
you can get a membrane which fits to the rafters and then installed into that are about 10 vents (depends on the size of the roof).
the spray stuff is a cheap and nasty quick fix.
all in all its not worth it.
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