In my loft there are a couple of areas where the bitumenised sheeting between the tiles and the rafters has gone brittle and cracked and dropped due to stored items being pushed back against it.
Obviously the way to fix this properly would be to strip back the tiles and replace from the outside but that’s not going to happen so I’m going to attempt to repair from inside.
In Wickes, Screwfix etc I can only find the grit coated roofing materials for shed roofs, not this type of membrane so to help me track it down, what is the correct name for this material?
A Google search brings up something called bitumen sarking felt
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As in the above post search that product, or roofing membrane. You want the under tile felt type, not for sheds
I’ve seen a roofer in action last year, what he uses and how he goes about it. He gave me a few tips on how to go about doing what you describe needs doing. Get the membrane and cut to size allowing for tucking a piece down to lap the existing and overlap at the highest point. Secure the new with wood battening cut to size and wedged or secured in with nails, easy peasy really.
If you are anywhere near South Derbyshire I know a good roofer.
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Hmmmm, I came across that but the term doesn’t seem that widely used or readily available.
Looks like nowadays a different product is used, probably bacause it goes brittle like mine is; It is around 50 years old.
Looks like breathable roof membrane is the replacement so I’ll get some of that and flashband and see what I can do with that.
Thanks Mick. Yep, looks like that’s the way to go.
(I’m down in Gloucestershire - Bit of a long trip from Derbyshire. Both lovely areas.)
This guy I happened across by accident has done loads of work on my son’s roof and on mine too. He uses what I describe as a plastic type membrane, the bitumen stuff turns to dust after 50 years or so, my son’s did, it was a mess.
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Agreed, it’s getting that way after only forty years in the extension I built.
More recently I’ve used Tyvek or equivalents, it’s a lot more expensive, but much like Goretex in how it works, strong, breathable and waterproof.
Use proper roof tile underlay membrane. These days you can get it breathable as well as non-breathable, and you can get it in white which is great for lightening up the loft!
This is a painful one Andy as your 1970? built house would have used materials of the time. Think yourself hopefully lucky that your house builder did not cut corners with other wonderful stuff of the time such as pitch fibre pipe!
anyway the felt on my 1970 build, like yours, really requires replacing. The proper way to do this is tiles off and battens + membrane replaced and tiles back on with all the associated work…but only if there is a problem.
No expert but clearly from the new builds and re-roofs I have seen over the last 20 years the modern materials used as a membrane for this purpose are significantly different to the old bitumised material of old. For a start the material is whitish rather than black. Toolstation sell something called rhinovent which appears to be the sort of material used.
I had a ridge tile blow off my roof recently so in truth after 50 years the roof would benefit from a complete refurb, possibly similar to your own. If I continue to fire fight and patch, the expense of this could probably be put off for another 20 years or so. Is it worth it, you tell me?
Thanks for the replies, all.
This is only in a couple of places where I’ve been incautious in moving stuff in the loft and most of the rest of the roof is OK as long as it’s not disturbed. I appear to have chosen the most brittle area to stack items.
A full tile strip and membrane replacement is out of the question at the moment so I’ll be repairing with sections of membrane and additional battening. This is on a sheltered side of the house so out of the main weather.
Rhino66 - we moved into out current property a couple of years ago, its our retirement bunglaow, built in the mid 50’s. Given there were a couple of slipped tiles, and torn bits of felt, and a botch job of fixing the soffits/barges from a few years back (Overclad with PVC instead of the old wood being replaced, compounded by the UPVC having the roof felt trapped underneath so water went where it shouldn’t) - we bit the bullet and had it done last year, on the basis that it would need it sometime during the next 10-15 years and, taking a long term view, prices then would be higher than they are now (and we would be a bit more doddery as well)!
Using Tyvek or similar? Easier to handle than sarking felt and thin battening will hold it and keep the wind out, It looks like paper but is much tougher than it looks - I can’t tear it with my hands. It is actually waterproof although it shouldn’t need to be, under the tiles
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RMurphy195
I suggest you did exactly the right thing and the roof will not be any issue for another 40-50 years.
If I find someone around here I can trust and who has the time will get mine done too. The other issue with my roof is is the old grey Marley ludlow major tiles. I like them but hard work to find weathered replacements to fit in with the inevitable breakages of a roof refurb.