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 Timbertech Products Ltd www.timbertechuk.co.uk Category: Decking |
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Grand Designs Live
The story so far...
What? The rebuilt version of a burnt-out thatched cottage.
Where? Hampshire.
Who? Alex Reay and Cheryl Robson, with two-year-old Biba.
How long? Two years.
Budget? £250,000.
High point? ‘Seeing the thatched roof go on, looking ten times better than it did before’.
Low point? ‘Standing heavily pregnant in my neighbour’s garden watching my home burn down to the ground’.
No Smoke Without Fire
Homes with thatched roofs are no more likely to catch fire than any other type of property, but if they do set alight the results are destructive. Ninety per cent of fires in thatch are started by the chimney, so sweep it regularly.
This wasn’t enough to protect Alex and Cheryl though, so further measures are recommended. Line your chimney and make sure the top of it is at least five feet above the thatch, so sparks can escape without settling on the roof. Any electric wiring in the roofspace should be carefully checked by a professional, and if installing a stove make sure the fitter has thatch experience.
If you move into an old thatched cottage, retrofit fireboard beneath the rafters and install smoke alarms in the roof space. If starting from scratch, consider a state-of-the-art fire system like Alex’s. ‘We have an Anki pumiced chimney lining, Thatchgard sensors (thatchgard.com) and Superlux fireboard over the rafters below the thatch,’ he says.
Grey Water Systems
‘We’re not tree huggers by any stretch of the imagination, but we definitely wanted to install practical, eco-friendly measures in the house,’ says Alex. With this in mind, the couple decided to fit a grey water recycling system. This basically involves taking the waste water from the basins, baths and showers and pumping it back to the toilet and washing machine to be used again.
Our eco expert Adam Ritchie says: ‘The obvious advantage of a grey water system is the amount of water it saves, but there are several cons. The systems do require quite a lot of maintenance to keep going – the filters need to be cleaned, you need to ensure the tank doesn’t go septic, and so on.’ The Centre for Alternative Technology (www.cat.org.uk) offers free advice on water-saving systems and in-depth information on a pay-per-view basis.
