What's in the loft?
When undertaking surveys, we often start in the loft. Over the years we have made many discoveries of things that a buyer might not have been aware of without having a survey. These have included:
No insulation
Whilst loft insulation is common, in older buildings it might be absent or very thin. It was not regularly fitted as standard in new houses until the late 1970’s / early 1980’s and we have been in lofts of “modern” houses built in the mid 1990’s that have had no insulation at all.
Leaks and rot
Leaks can be quite common and sometimes parts of the wooden structure have suffered from rot, or can have almost disintegrated. On several occasions we have found bowls or buckets of water underneath holes in the roof covering.
Disconnected extract fan ducts
Quite often we find that flexible ducts fitted above extractor fans, for instance in bathrooms or en-suites, are not connected to a terminal and simply allow moist air to be discharged into the loft, which can then lead to condensation and dampness. This is quite a common problem for new-build houses. Even when they are connected, the flexible ducts are often squashed by contents laid on them and do not allow for proper extraction.
Spray foam
Ads in the back pages of newspapers extol the virtues of having spray foam insulation installed to the underneath of a pitched roof covering. This material is normally bad news and can cause damp and rot, as well as prevent repairs to tiling or slating.
Insects and creatures
In addition to signs of woodworm, there can be evidence of rodents or birds. On a few occasions we have found bats, which are a protected species. Whilst old wasps’ nests are not at all unusual, sometimes they remain active.
Cut section of roof structure
Householders, or their builders, sometimes cut through or completely remove crucial sections of the roof structure, perhaps to allow a loft ladder to be fitted or to increase storage space. This can obviously be a serious fault.
No separation
In older properties we have sometimes encountered incomplete or non-existent separation between adjoining lofts. This is not only a security and privacy issue, but normally presents a fire risk.
Asbestos
Asbestos materials were commonly used in domestic construction from 1950 to 1980 in particular, both for new build and during refurbishment. The material can be potentially hazardous and is sometimes found in lofts in a variety of forms.
Unusual possessions
In addition to the normal sorts of items of domestic storage people sometimes keep or abandon unusual items. The most surprising has been a coffin! (which was assumed to be empty).