IAN ROCK
Is a Chartered surveyor and author of ‘Property Horrors’. He is also founder of www.rightsurvey.
co.uk
Most lofts are little more than cold, dank storage spaces enlivened solely by annual excursions to retrieve Xmas decorations. So it’s easy to overlook the risks to roof structures caused by damp from condensation. To check the health of your loft all that’s required is a simple ‘head and shoulders’ inspection which should be sufficient to spot clues to any potentially damaging airborne dampness. The most obvious tell-tale sign of trouble ahead is a pervasive mouldy smell, sometimes accompanied by black mould staining evident on roof timbers. Look a little closer and you may see small sweat-like globules of water forming around unlagged pipework, water tanks or on ducting for extractor fans. In severe cases, you might see beads of moisture dripping from the cold undersides of the roof tiles. This may explain why condensation is sometimes referred to as ‘indoor rain’.