Leakage in loft

movilogo

I see that insulation in loft ceiling is wet and water droplets on them.

What is the reason?

Is it condensation or leaking thru broken tiles?

There is no water tank in loft as I have combi boliler. It is a detached house made in 1970s.

What is best way to fix it and what could be cost?

Can I claim via home insurance policy?

Thanks for replies.

prosaver

when it rains heavy ..go upstairs in the loft and have a look for drips...
not him:D

Oh....Hello..

phil24_7

It could simply be a build up of condensation on the underside of the roof membrane as I would have thought there were more than just droplets if you had a leak. Does the insulation allow and air gap where it meets the rafters? Is there adequate ventilation in the attic?

movilogo

How do I know condensation vs leak?

Water is not gushing thru loft but the insulation is wet when I touch and I can see droplets of water in may places.

coffeehound

Since the weather's just changed from freezing to mild, condensation is a possibility

phil24_7

A leak will generally be localised and may be spot-able. Look for splits in the felt in the area of the damp and the follow a vertical line to the ridge. If you have a 'little' dampness and some droplets in many places then it is likely condensation!

You need to check your insulation at the eaves to make sure there is adequate roof for airflow. If this is fine then you may need to add ventilation to your attic. Polystyrene wedges inserted between the overlaps in the felt in between every rafter may suffice but you may also need ridge or tile vents and extra ventilation at the eaves. If you have good airflow in the attic you should avoid condensation.

movilogo

Hope you are right. The wet feeling is widespread and not localised. My novice view is that there isn't that much ventilation in loft.

Will check with few roofing contractors.

phil24_7

Just have a look for yourself. Check you can see right down to the eaves past your insulation. If you can then check the overlaps in your roofing felt, you can use wedges of polystyrene (these can be bought to save cutting them) to wedge these open, increasing ventilation. These should be enough but if not then you will need to add some kind of roof vent. That is when you will need a roofer.

Regards
Phil

macman

Your buildings insurance does not cover wear and tear. Only storm damage etc.

nomoneytoday

It's mess from the secret family that are living in the loft when you're not looking

movilogo

Got it checked by a roofing contractor. It is condensation and not leak.

The root cause is that felt used under the tiles in loft is very old and not breathable. Thus the sudden temperature difference (it was -3 C to +12 C last week) caused the condensation.

The remedy is to install few ventilation boxes on outside (on roof ) allowing air to flow inside the loft to enable it breathing. However this does not seem to be a major issue as it is not a leak.