Roofing felt disaster

giggsirish

Hi all -

Was wondering if anyone had experience with clear roofing felt. Have a house built in 2001 and the roofing membrane is disintegrating. If you touch it at all it crumbles and falls like confetti.

Cant find manufacture stamp but believe it maybe called minitex when it existed.

As an aside the whole roof now needs to be redone. What is the very best tear resistant/moisture permeable felt to be got and recommended?

galwaytt

...not exactly the same, but I used that on a shed before, and a short while later the supplier told me they were withdrawing it from sale to due to problems and Certification. That was about..............2003 iirc. Haven't seen it anywhere since, so you're probably an example of why it was withdrawn at the time.

Unfortunately no quick fix, you will have to remove and "re-felt". Your house insurance may come in to play here.

giggsirish

Thanks galwaytt - Just purchased the house and this issue was not spotted by the engineer whom was employed to inspect the house.

Thought about going the insurance route but being only in the house a month I was hesitant to do so

galwaytt

giggsirish wrote: »

Thanks galwaytt - Just purchased the house and this issue was not spotted by the engineer whom was employed to inspect the house.

Thought about going the insurance route but being only in the house a month I was hesitant to do so

...there's no point in postponing the inevitable tbh - poor form it not getting spotted by your Engineer though - I'd certainly be calling him if it was me.....

Markcheese

Have no idea if this Suitable but - a friend used one of the spray on foam crowds to seal under the slates in his house (Georgian pile ) - might be worth looking at-

JimmyMW

I am open to correction here, but in my opinion, if the engineer has not excluded inspecting the roof in his report his PI Insurance should cover this. It would depend on how the report was worded id imagine. Do you have a copy of his report?

Drift

Did you have to pull down the insulation to see it? Most reports would be "visual only" and specifically exclude items that cannot be seen.

sydthebeat

JimmyMW wrote: »

I am open to correction here, but in my opinion, if the engineer has not excluded inspecting the roof in his report his PI Insurance should cover this. It would depend on how the report was worded id imagine. Do you have a copy of his report?

most probable that the report was based on a "non intrusive visual inspection only".

if it was apparent without having to remove the insulation then its bad form.

JimmyMW

sydthebeat wrote: »

most probable that the report was based on a "non intrusive visual inspection only".

if it was apparent without having to remove the insulation then its bad form.

I agree if it was clearly evident without removing anything it should fall on the surveyor.

giggsirish

JimmyMW wrote: »

I am open to correction here, but in my opinion, if the engineer has not excluded inspecting the roof in his report his PI Insurance should cover this. It would depend on how the report was worded id imagine. Do you have a copy of his report?

Yes have a copy of the report but they seem to have a cop out in small print on every page that visual only inspection.

DOCARCH

JimmyMW wrote: »

...his PI Insurance should cover this.

Sounds like something Phil Hogan would say! :rolleyes: Go to court and risk loosing? Might end up cheaper just dealing with the issue.

To me, it looks like (from the pictures) the insulation has been pulled back to expose the issue.

giggsirish

sydthebeat wrote: »

most probable that the report was based on a "non intrusive visual inspection only".

if it was apparent without having to remove the insulation then its bad form.

Yes thats pretty much the wording on the report

Insulation had to be pulled out to see what was happening when water started to drip down onto the floor boards. The felt must have reacted with the insulation over time to cause it decay the way it has

Open to opinions on the best felt to now use as will be having it refelted

DOCARCH

giggsirish wrote: »

Yes have a copy of the report but they seem to have a cop out in small print on every page that visual only inspection.

To be fair, when you don't own the house/if the survey was done pre-purchase, sellers are not very open to anything other than a visual inspection.

sydthebeat

giggsirish wrote: »

Yes thats pretty much the wording on the report

Insulation had to be pulled out to see what was happening when water started to drip down onto the floor boards. The felt must have reacted with the insulation over time to cause it decay the way it has

Open to opinions on the best felt to now use as will be having it refelted

the water dripping down onto the floor boards is a result of having no ventilation in the attic.

there should be 50mm vent gap between the insulation and felt.
the disintegration of the felt is part due to years of condensation forming between the felt and insulation (its STILL should be waterproof!!)
i hope the surveyor took moisture readings in the rafters as part of his report.

sydthebeat

some interesting reading.....

http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0506/D.0506.199906150216.html

In the case of “Minitex” roofing felt, the certification required is not available. As a consequence, a total of 26 applications for new house grants have not been paid to date and the applicants have been notified accordingly.

galwaytt

sydthebeat wrote: »

some interesting reading.....

http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0506/D.0506.199906150216.html

Aha !! My memory ain't gone yet !

chippy81

giggsirish wrote: »

Yes thats pretty much the wording on the report

Insulation had to be pulled out to see what was happening when water started to drip down onto the floor boards. The felt must have reacted with the insulation over time to cause it decay the way it has

Open to opinions on the best felt to now use as will be having it refelted

We use tyvek where possible, it's a strong breathable felt, there are a few cheap breathables on the market last couple of years that you can tear with your hands! Very easy to puncture while working, They are 50-60 whereas tyvek is closer to 150. If it's semi detached or slightly bigger 2 rolls would probably do (50m long)
As was pointed out water was probably condensation but if not you have other bits to sort out so they will be done with re roofing.

giggsirish

chippy81 wrote: »

We use tyvek where possible, it's a strong breathable felt, there are a few cheap breathables on the market last couple of years that you can tear with your hands! Very easy to puncture while working, They are 50-60 whereas tyvek is closer to 150. If it's semi detached or slightly bigger 2 rolls would probably do (50m long)
As was pointed out water was probably condensation but if not you have other bits to sort out so they will be done with re roofing.

Thanks chippy81 what about solitex plus? Been recommended this or airtex breathable membranes. Need pick up tomorrow as builder starting the refelting on Monday for the worst effected part of house. Rest will have to be a summer job

chippy81

Haven't used it as not seen it stocked in any suppliers in cork but will have a look. Did you get quoted how much per roll for solitex?

giggsirish

chippy81 wrote: »

Haven't used it as not seen it stocked in any suppliers in cork but will have a look. Did you get quoted how much per roll for solitex?

It was €165 from memory for the top of the line in the range.

braddun

can you sue the inspector


that looks like plastic not roofing felt

chippy81

Just had quick look seems sound enough to be honest, at that price range most are. With everything it has to be installed correctly to be worth it!

BryanF

giggsirish wrote: »

Thanks chippy81 what about solitex plus? Been recommended this or airtex breathable membranes. Need pick up tomorrow as builder starting the refelting on Monday for the worst effected part of house. Rest will have to be a summer job

Would you double batten above, to allow mineral wool insulation to be against the underside of felt?