How long does a thatched roof last?
The life of a thatch roof is dependant on a number of factors. The quality of the grass used, the angle at which the roof is constructed and climatic conditions. Thatch will last far longer in a climate that is either hot and dry or cool and damp. Should the climate be hot (30 degrees plus) and high humidity, the conditions for fungal growth is good and leads to deterioration of the roof in a far shorter time. An average life span for the thatch layer under normal climatic conditions in SA is approximately 20 years.
When thatched properly by professionals, the major portion of such a roof (the water reed) should last 40 to 50 years. In other words, as long as any other roof. However, the roof ridge will have to be replaced roughly every 8 – 10 years. Such ridge line replacement is, luckily, a fairly rapid and reasonably inexpensive procedure.
The life span of a thatched roof depends on a number of factors, the materials used on the roof, pitch of the roof, which way is the house facing ( North or South), any over hanging trees, whether it is set in a valley or on a hill, the actual style and shape of the thatched roof ie valleys, windows, gables, hips, how long the actual roof is from top to bottom all these features effect the life span of a thatched house.
