Some visual inspiration for potential owners of thatched properties

This gallery of thatched cottages for sale from the Telegraph illustrates very persuasively the appeal of living in a thatched building.

Ranging from the humble to the grandiose, these beauties sell from a few hundred thousand to well over a million. Number 9 even comes with its own (compact) box hedge maze!

Prospective purchasers may worry about the safety profile of a thatch building, but, with proper maintenance and safety precautions, thatched roofs are no less effective and reliable than any other material. Insuring a thatched property can also be a lot easier and less expensive than you may think.

Interested in finding out more?

Contact us (see details on the left) and we'll be happy to expand!

Insurance: counting the cost of the floods

After severe flooding affected vast areas of farmland across the UK, farmers are reckoning the cost in terms of damage to crops, stock machinery, buildings, and infrastructure. Farming UK reports that the total insured cost of the recent floods could amount to hundreds of millions of pounds. 

Read more here.

Preventing a fire

The thatch is designed to repel water and so for a Fire and Rescue Service this makes it a difficult task to extinguish such fires. - prevention is essential, detection is often too late.

The following fire safety advice is recommended for everyone living in thatched buildings:

• it is important to insulate the chimney flue to prevent the heat from transferring into the thatch layer. This is especially important when a solid fuel or wood burner is installed as they burn at higher temperatures (300°C to 600°C) than conventional open fires
• have the chimney swept regularly by a qualified chimney sweep. A chimney in regular use should be swept twice a year.
• don’t burn wet or unseasoned wood as this will lead to a greater build-up of soot deposits in the flue and have the brickwork and rendering checked by a professional builder/qualified chimney engineer. If in doubt, fit a suitable steel insulated liner
• consider a system of heat sensors within the thatch around the chimney. This will give you an early warning of any overheating of the thatch
• if you are undertaking renovation work or re-roofing, consider forming a fireproof barrier between the roof timbers and the thatch layer
• ensure that the top of the chimney stack is at least 1.8 metres (about six feet) above the ridge. This will allow sparks to die away before they drop on to the thatch.
• spark arresters can help prevent fires, but they must be kept clean. This should be done every 3 months on chimneys in regular use
• fit smoke detectors in the roof space – these should be linked so that a detector operating in the roof space will activate the other detectors in the property
• if you have any painting or plumbing work done involving a blow torch, be sure the person undertaking the work has a suitable fire extinguisher to hand
• all electrical work should be carried out by a competent professional
• wiring in the roof space should be checked regularly
• install an outside tap with enough hose to reach around the house including the roof. This can be used to extinguish any fires at an early stage
• avoid having bonfires/fireworks near thatched buildings – and make sure your neighbours are aware of the danger to your home from their bonfires/fireworks
• be extra vigilant if bonfires are being lit nearby
• use a bulkhead type light fitting in your loft space
• never burn rubbish or garden waste near the property
• where television aerials cannot be fitted to a freestanding pole, the aerial should be fixed to a gable or gable-end chimney, where the cable can be run down the wall, avoiding contact with the thatch

Read more Here

Thatch fire aftermath

The East Anglian Daily Times carried dramatic pictures this week showing the devastating effects of a thatch fire in Brettenham Road, Hitcham.

Click here to see more images.

Thatched cottage saved by firemen

FIREFIGHTERS prevented a thatched cottage in Cuxham being badly damaged by a blaze. 

They were called to the house at about 6.30pm on Tuesday and spent two hours tackling the fire. 

Seven fire engines from Henley, Wallingford, Thame and Abingdon arrived at the property where smoke was billowing from the ground floor. 

Eight firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire, which was caused by an open fire in the living room that had been left unattended. 

A water carrier, incident support unit, control unit, rescue tender and aerial ladder platform also attended. 


Station manager Bob Speakman said: “This unfortunate incident could have been far worse had the fire taken hold of the thatched roof. 

“As it was, the right resources were put in place and quick intervention by crews prevented the spread of fire from the living room. 

“I am convinced that given a few more minutes left unchecked, the fire would have spread to the roof and caused extensive damage.” 

He urged householders with open fires to use a guard and to have a working smoke alarm. 

Read more on this story here

Firefighters tackle cottage blaze near Watlington

Eight firefighters helped fight a serious house blaze that could have spread to neighbouring houses if it had been left for a few more minutes.

The fire took place at a thatched cottage in Cuxham village, near Watlington at around 6.10pm yesterday.

Smoke was coming from the living room area on the ground floor and eight firefighters were needed to extinguish the serious blaze to stop it spreading to the thatched roof and houses next door.

Seven fire engines from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the house.

Station Manager Bob Speakman said, “This unfortunate incident could have been far worse had the fire taken hold of the thatched roof.

"As it was, the right resources were put in place and quick intervention by crews prevented the spread of fire from the living room area.

“I am convinced that given only a few more minutes left unchecked, the fire would have spread to the roof, causing extensive damage and the threat of spread to other surrounding thatched properties.”

Read more here

How thatched roofed pub landlords pulled back from the brink of ruin after devastating fire

A recent story in the Bridport News reports how two popular East Devon publicans are retiring after coming close to ruin following a devastating that fire several years ago:

Brian Jenkins, 62, and wife Denise Jenkins, 59, have been pulling pints at the New Inn at Kilmington, East Devon, for more than 21 years.

They have led the pub into being one of CAMRA’s Magnificent Seven, as they are in the select group of pubs mentioned in each of the 41 editions of the Good Beer Guide.

The couple’s success was made all the more satisfying after the pub was destroyed by a fire sparked in the thatched roof and was shut for nearly a year for rebuilding.

Mr Jenkins said: “We only had what we stood up in and that was it, everything else was gone. It was devastating, and it plays on my mind now when I start thinking about it.”

After the fire, the pub was rebuilt and reopened.

Read more here

Thatched roof of listed cottage destroyed by fire

A FIRE which destroyed the roof of a listed cottage was started accidentally, an investigator has found.

Hunters Lodge in Broadhempston was severely damaged by the fire which started in the roofspace above the bathroom.

A fire investigation has determined it was started accidentally as a result of an 'electrical event'. Damage was so severe it was not possible for the investigator to say if it was a fault which caused the fire.

Eight pumps from Totnes, Newton Abbot, Buckfastleigh, Ashburton and Torquay were sent to the Grade II listed building at 2pm on Thursday, September 19.

An incident command unit from Totnes, the aerial ladder platform and water foam carrier from Torquay joined them at the scene due to the danger posed by a thatched roof blaze.

The immediate area around the building, on the edge of the village, was closed and firefighters wore breathing masks to fight the blaze.

Smoke rising from the burning building could be seen from the other side of the village. Speaking from the scene group commander Nick Jones said: "Because it was a thatched roof fire we mobilized a lot of assets. On arrival the first crews found a serious developing fire within the roof of the property and immediately started to attack the blaze. It was quickly established the property was unoccupied and no people were involved."

Within an hour the roof of the building had started to collapse.

Firefighters used two compressed air foam jets, two hose reels and six sets of breathing apparatus.

The distraught owner arrived at about 3.30pm to see his home in flames. By 4pm crews worked to removed thatch from the roof and salvage what they could from the four-bedroom building. They stayed at the scene through the evening removing thatch to a safe area.
Firefighters were still dampening down the cottage on Friday morning.

The roof was completely destroyed as was one third of the first floor. The ground floor was still intact, but the cob walls had absorbed a lot of water during the firefighting operation.

The fire service could not confirm whether or not the building would have to be demolished.





Read the original story here

Thatch Safe Cooking! No Smoking!

How do we know that the owners of thatched properties are non smoking careful cooks?

Causes of House fires in non-thatched homes:

• Cooking – 50%+
• Electrical appliances – 13%
• Smoking – 7%
• Electrical Distribution – 7%
• Heating devices – 4%
• “Other” – 15%

Causes of House fires in thatched properties:

• Electrical faults
• Faults in the flu or flu liner
• Stray sparks from the chimneys, discarded cigarettes and garden bonfire
• Heat transfer can be added to this list 

There we have it, owners of thatched properties are careful cooks who monitor carefully their chip pans – and who don’t fall asleep while holding burning cigarettes!  

Thatch fire is a very serious matter - as is any house fire - an understanding of where risk lies, careful and adequate preparation, along with the application of preventative measures - physical and mental - are the keys to longevity and safety.

Some more Statistics:

What you get from your thatch:

• Water reed 55-65 years
• Combed wheat 20-40 years
• Long Straw 15-25 years

Dangers:

• 50,000 thatched homes in the UK
• 50 to 100 thatched homes are destroyed or seriously damaged every year

Chances of Fire:

• Chances of fire in a normal house – 1:320
• Chances of fire in a thatched house – 1:735

Recorded Deaths:

• 1 death in twentieth century from a thatch fire 

 We can help you with your insurance The Thatch Advice Centre can help you with the rest!

Suffolk Preservation Society Update

For info on the "burning issue" follow the link below:

Autumn Conference Fire and Thatch: a burning issue: http://www.suffolksociety.org/mediareleasefireandthatchoct11.pdf

The increasing incidence of fire in recent years.......

Thatch Safety

Occupants of thatched properties in the New Forest urged to act now and stay safe...

18 Oct 2011

There are over 800 thatched properties in the New Forest and as winter fast approaches Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging owners and occupants of thatched properties to take extra care before the colder weather arrives to reduce the risk of fire.

Group Manager for the New Forest area Steve Quinn states:“Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has developed a Thatch Information Pack (TIP) which includes essential maintenance and fire prevention tips, along with other supporting material, to help owners and occupants of thatch properties minimise the risk of fire. Hampshire residents can call Hampshire Fire and Rescue Serve Community Safety department on 023 8062 6809 to request a copy of the Thatch Information Pack.”  Read more

Thatch Safety Advice from the Thatch Advice Center

Thatch fires do get a lot of bad publicity but, with sensible precautions, you can greatly reduce the risk and, in most cases, reduce your insurance premium

There are specialist products available to reduce the fire risk in thatched properties

• Fire retardant spray www.magmafirestop.co.uk 
• Fire barriers eg THATCH-SAFE®
• Alarm system

http://www.thatchadvicecentre.co.uk/fire_safety_advice1.html