My roof is alive.....

ceegee

.....with electricity.:eek::eek::eek::eek:

A large stain has appeared on my bathroom ceiling. This morning the Home Emergency Rescue chap came around, from my insurance company to investigate.

He went into the roof space and discovered that not only is the roof membrane completely disintegrated (he thinks rain penetration is the cuase of the stain) BUT the rafters and roof membrane are live with electricity.:eek::eek::eek:

I have a major problem here!:o

The house is old, built in 1925, but was re-roofed and re-wired just after we moved in 25 years ago. Not done by professionals, of course......couldn't afford that! I know I also have rising damp. There may be other things which I don't know about.

As I paid off the mortgage last year, and, thrifty thing that I am, have put all what I would have paid into the mortgage into a high paying savings account (:D) I do at least have some savings to throw at it.

I don't know where to start, I really don't. So I have phoned up a building surveyor to come and do me a complete survey.:eek: I know that re-wiring will be required and a whole load of work doing to the roof, plus he rising damp, plus anything else that comes to light. I will also be having their services as project managers because I wouldn't know what to do when etc. I just have to bite the bullet, as there is so much else going on for me....daughter about to go off to University, daughter had a dreadful accident in February resulting in surgery with terrible scarring and my Mum passed away 10 months ago.

It's all a bit grim at the moment. Writing this has helped shed a bit of the weight from my shoulders. Would it be OK if I used this thread as a sort of diary. As well as helping me, it might help others who are in a similar situation.

Ta very much.:)

phill99

What do you mean that "The rafters are alive with electricity" ? That's a bizarre statement.

HappyMJ

You rewired it 25 years ago. I doubt you'll need to do it again. A full inspection and electrical safety test is all that you need to do. The sparky will replace only what is needed. Cost - only a few hundred pounds plus parts.

kazwookie

If it is alive with electricity and it is raining, I suggest you turn the electricity off at the mains and get a professional in pronto

ceegee

phill99 wrote: »

What do you mean that "The rafters are alive with electricity" ? That's a bizarre statement.

Exactly. When the man touched the rafters and the roofing felt with his volt testing pen, the pen lit up, as it did when he tested the sockets. I know that there are cables under the roof insulation....on top of the upstairs ceilings. That probably has a lot to do with it.

Bizzare is the word. "Scary" is another word that would do the situation justice. He asked if there were electric cables under the roofing felt.:eek:

On a happier note, the surveyor is coming around next Thursday. When I told him about the "live" rafters and roofing felt, he paused for just a moment but then took it in his stride.

I feel much better now that I know things will be underway soon.

ceegee

HappyMJ wrote: »

You rewired it 25 years ago. I doubt you'll need to do it again. A full inspection and electrical safety test is all that you need to do. The sparky will replace only what is needed. Cost - only a few hundred pounds plus parts.

It wasn't professionally done though and I've always been a bit concerned. I know that there is at least one bit of exposed wire in the house and there are cables running through the roof space. The roof is not much better than a sieve. And it's raining.

The entire roof space is wet. Plus the rising damp. Plus goodness knows what else.:o

phill99

ceegee wrote: »

When the man touched the rafters and the roofing felt with his volt testing pen, the pen lit up, as it did when he tested the sockets.

A voltage testing pen is a low level piece of kit that DIYers and non electrician tradesmen often use to detect a current / live wire. They are used only to identify the presence of a cable, often so that a plumber, carpenter etc doesn't drill into the wall and do himself some damage.

Just because there is a current in your loft (as there is in every loft in the country) doesn't mean it is dangerous or in need or re-wiring.

The man that came to fix the roof is hardly the man to comment on the safety of your wiring.

I can't help thinking that there is an element of ignorance peppered with a quantity of paranoia going on here.

muckybutt

Have you actually had a shock from anything in the loft ?

ceegee

phill99 wrote: »

A voltage testing pen is a low level piece of kit that DIYers and non electrician tradesmen often use to detect a current / live wire. They are used only to identify the presence of a cable, often so that a plumber, carpenter etc doesn't drill into the wall and do himself some damage.

Just because there is a current in your loft (as there is in every loft in the country) doesn't mean it is dangerous or in need or re-wiring.

The man that came to fix the roof is hardly the man to comment on the safety of your wiring.

I can't help thinking that there is an element of ignorance peppered with a quantity of paranoia going on here.

Thank you.:) I wasn't aware re the currents in lofts. However, the roof is shot to pieces anyway and I really do not like the idea of cables running through a damp loft. I know that there are also some other issues with the wiring too.

The man who came to investigate what I thought was a leaking pipe is indeed no wiring or roofing expert. He was expressing his opinion, which concurred with what I'd known for some time....my house is in desperate need of much work. This is why I have bitten the bullet and am having the surveyor around. Frankly. if he came around and said that the house was perfect it would be worth his fee for the peace of mind it would bring me.

PS You are right about a quantity of paranoia.....I am a born worrier! But, there are issues with the house.

ceegee

muckybutt wrote: »

Have you actually had a shock from anything in the loft ?

No. But as I said to phill99, cables running through a loft with a leaking roof isn't good, it is causing me great anxiety. I want to know that we are safe in our home. I have been mithering and fretting about the house for too long and things have now come to a head.

I feel like those poor people on "Help, My House Is Falling Down"! But, if it isn't as bad as I fear, then that will be great, I'll just have to wait and see.:)

panchenlama

couldn't have been a very good job on the roof if its shot only 25 years later...