Thatched Roof – Fire Protection
Thatching Advisory Services
(TAS) - Overview
Statistically homes with thatched roofs
are no more likely to catch fire than those
with conventional roofs if the owner is
made aware of and understands the risk
of thatch fire. However, if a thatched roof
does ignite and is allowed to develop
it’s almost impossible to control and
the results can be devastating. Every
thatched fire will vary due to factors
such as weather conditions, location of
property, thickness of the thatch etc.
For over 40 years TAS has unrivalled
expertise in the protection of thatched
buildings and offer advice on the
preventative and protective options
available. We are often the first port of
call for architects, home-owners, local
authority building control departments
and thatchers.
The key objective of any fire barrier
is to buy more time. A fire barrier will
dramatically increase the chance of
saving the majority of the building.
Fire Retardant Sprays
A survey into the cause of thatch fires
revealed ejected embers and sparks as
the main cause and all included the use
of wood burning or multi-fuel stoves.
Investigations showed that fires were
reported within 30 minutes of a fire being
lit or being re- fuelled.
Fire retardant sprays should be applied
by trained personnel using high-pressure
specialist equipment to treat not only the
thatch surface but also the thatch stems
to ensure a degree of protection for a
number of years.
Several issues can increase the risk of the
effects from ejected embers or sparks,
these include:
•
•
Spark arrestors – If not cleaned at
least once a year they can clog up
and will catch fire in their own right,
which in turn could cause a thatch
fire.
Chimney height – The risk of a thatch
fire is further increased when the
chimney height has been reduced
following many years of recoating
works, this is more common with
thatching materials such as long
straw.
The application should be carried out
at a certain pressure using a specific tip
spraying upwards into the thatch coat
work at the angle of the roof ensuring
penetration of between 50mm and
75mm. This will ensure the fire retardant
is applied to both the surface and thatch
stems.
Thatch fire retardants should be a
water-based solution of fire retardant
and intumescent chemicals specifically
formulated for the protection of thatch
roofing. They should not contain any
borates or borate-based additives. They
must be environmentally friendly with
no detrimental effect to plants or animals
and of course have no adverse reaction to
the thatch.
TAS Thatchsayf Fire Retardant Spray can
be applied as a standalone product or in
addition to having a physical fire barrier
system installed and should be reapplied
every five years.
Page 141 - Archetech
Over the years we have forged close
working relationships with many of the
leading insurance companies, test houses
and product manufacturers whilst further
developing our range of fire barriers.
Fire - Causes