Airbricks

coffeehound wrote: »

Have you been up into the loft to check for leaks, mitstm?

That is a bit more of a problem - as in there is no loft ladder to get up there.

So I'm a little shortie, with only a short stepladder and no head for heights.

I have had various workmen going up there at intervals for a variety of things and no reports of water coming in through the roof (after the year I moved in - where a tile had come off the roof and I had it replaced/nearby loft insulation thrown out and there's been no further reports of problems from workmen since). That was during the first few months I lived here. I've been here a few years now.

There has been two workmen up there for various things just during the last year - and no reports of water ingress from either of them.

There was some months in between the roof tile replacement and the suspended ceiling being put up in the room that had experienced the roof leak on its ceiling - and it seemed to be totally dry when the suspended ceiling was put up - but it should be possible to check from above the original ceiling? (if one could get at being in the loft for a good look personally).

This is an area where there is a problem finding decent-quality and reliable tradespeople - but I'll keep my eye open to see if I can find a decent handyperson and get their opinion on whether it is even possible to get a loft ladder fitted to get into my loft (as I certainly wouldnt manage it personally - despite all those workmen that have shinned up and down to it over time).

One handyperson to date has said it's not possible to fit a loft ladder - but I'll get a check with a second one (as handyperson no. 1 was telling me it was impossible to get bits of loft boarding up through my standard size loft hatch:cool: - and I had to tell him how to do it:cool: and so I do have some fair-size bits of loose-laid loft boarding up there now that can be moved around for standing on purposes).

I don't know whether it would be possible or no to get one there. It is a standard-size readily accessible loft hatch (up from the hallway in this bungalow) - but I do know the bodger builder that built the house had some odd ways of doing things and I think that included the way they did the roof structure, and hence not sure whether it's possible or no.

The loft insulation is 12" thick - I had more added (at least if I can believe the builder that did it - and that's another matter:cool:) - as I was astonished to see he'd removed the covering and "scattered it about" one time when another workman had put an extendable type ladder up there and I poked my head over the top to take a look.

The boards have just been put up there - not fixed down. As one workman used the fact there were no boards up there at all as an excuse not to go up there himself - hence some just "sitting" up there, so that no future workman can make that excuse.

Workmen have usually got up there by bringing in a standard height stepladder of their own (not the little 2 steps-and-a-platform job that I have for myself). They then stand on top of the "handrail" type thing at the top (ie the bit not meant for standing on!) and haul themselves up into the loft. I really wouldn't fancy trying to get up that way - even if I were taller than 5'3" or so these days!

My house is too small to have space to store another ladder - so I would need for any I bought to be a specific loft ladder (ie folded-up into the loft when not in use).

I can picture the sort of thing I would want (assuming it's possible to fit one). My father fitted one into my last house - it was one whereby I could push up with a pole at the loft hatch and it would come down and then I could pull the ladder itself down. When down - I could slide it to whatever length I decided and there was a handrail each side of it for me to catch hold of.

I can't ask my father what it was - as he wouldn't remember - and anyway he bought it quite some years ago.

But I would be interested in finding a similar one again - if anyone knows one.