Water reed thatch should last from 25 to 40 years.
How long should a thatched roof last.
As you can see different kinds of materials have longer life expectancies than others.
Should the climate be hot 30 degrees plus and high humidity the conditions for fungal growth is good and leads to deterioration of the roof in a far shorter time.
The pitch of a thatched roof is also important as it allows water to run off and be thrown well away from the property before it has chance to be absorbed.
The lifespan of a thatch roof depends on a variety of factors including the type of thatch the ability of the roof to shed water which depends on the pitch of the roof and the climate of the region.
The pitch the steeper the pitch faster the roof can shed water.
An average life span for the thatch layer under normal climatic conditions in sa is approximately 20 years.
But the thatch only has a short lifespan a few years instead of several decades.
Many thatched house owners have been told that their roofs should last 30 40 years but it is hard to put an exact lifespan on a thatched roof as each thatched roof will vary depending on different factors.
In cases of roofs with dormers and valleys the dormers and valleys will wear before the main coat due to having a lower pitch.
The main factors are.
The materials used on your thatched roof can contribute to the lifespan of it.
Good quality straw thatch can last several years when applied by a skilled thatcher.
Ridges need to be replaced every 10 to 15 years.
Combed wheat reed from 25 to 35 years.
However over a long period the two methods work out as having a similar cost in both time and materials.
A roof takes days instead of weeks to complete.
A wood shingle roof should be inspected annually and any split shingles should be promptly replaced.
You ll pay 250 to 600 per square for a wood shingle roof and warranties run up to 30 years.
So how long should you expect your thatched roof to last.
Generally speaking though the lifespan of water reed thatch is about 30 years combed wheat is about 30 years and straw is about 20 years.
It s not unknown for thatched roofs with regular maintenance to last up to 60 years though.
The ridges however are likely to need attention every 8 to 10 years.
One thing to note is that a roof ridge typically lasts no longer than 15 years regardless of the material used to construct it.
Its lifespan is typically 20 to 25 years.
How much does a thatch cost to install.
Longstraw thatch from 15 to 25 years.
A well installed thatched roof that has been constructed using good quality materials is likely to stay serviceable for anywhere up to 50 years.