Passing showers

 

Passing showers

We have a Velux skylight in the kitchen, which makes an otherwise dark room much lighter and brighter. It has an integrated rain sensor which closes the roof automatically when it starts raining. The sound of it cranking closed is often the first indication that rain is falling. Sometimes, children have been known to tip water out of the bedroom window to activate it, to their amusement and our irritation!

 It’s good to be able to open it and let in fresh air. When I came downstairs this morning, the kitchen smelt fresh and sweet.

A short while later, I heard the Velux closing. When I looked outside, I couldn’t see any sign of rain – no wet spots on the patio or the flowers and trees. It must have been a swiftly passing shower, so rapid, indeed, that it might have been a ghost.

On the roof

 

On the roof

 . . . no, not of the world, but our house.

It is impossible to assess the condition of a roof from ground level and all the time nothing disastrous happens in the house, it can be ignored only too readily. Heavy, persistent rain points out the weaknesses in the structure we rely on to keep us safe and dry.                            

While replacing the guttering last week, the workmen discovered that many of the tiles were loose, the pointing needed to be repaired, the flashing round the chimney was in need of attention and much of the lead also needed to be replaced. They returned on Saturday to rectify these defects.

While the dogs took little to no notice of the banging and hammering, the cats were intrigued, particularly when they caught sight of the workmen through the kitchen Velux in the flat roof of the kitchen. It was amusing to watch them as they briefly adopted ‘hunter’ poses.

We were grateful that these faults were discovered. When external defects cannot be seen, the potential damage to roof joists is also not considered and could be substantial and costly.

It’s just the flat roof to be repaired now, two stretches above the front door and the garage and around the side of the extension, which was built before we bought the house. Flat roofs are a nuisance, for even if there is a slight slope to drain rainwater, they are not as effective as pitched roofs. Water collects in puddles and can damage the material covering the roof.

Apparently, architects like to design buildings with flat roofs, because they are more aesthetically pleasing. I found this:

One of the primary reasons modern architects embrace flat roofs is the additional usable space they offer. Unlike sloped roofs, which limit the utilization of the top area of a building, flat roofs provide an ideal and open platform for rooftop gardens, recreational spaces, and even urban farming.

 A rooftop garden sounds an attractive proposition, but I wonder how sensible it is to lay tubs or raised beds on a roof and fill them with soil and plants. Watering them would be essential, of course, and that would create even greater weight. I have seen such gardens locally, and they look attractive and productive, but the roof maintenance must be difficult and ongoing. What is happening underneath cannot be seen.

Creating a roof garden is not straightforward. Planning permission and building regulations are required. Once in place, it could last for 40 or 50 years.

In cities, a roof garden can improve air quality, as plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. It can also increase the management of storm water, absorbing rainwater and returning it to the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration. It adds a layer of insulation to a building, thereby reducing energy consumption, and lowers surface temperatures. Traditional rooftops are about 50 degrees hotter than roof gardens. Most importantly of all, a roof garden will attract bees, butterflies and other wild life.

In a city full of buildings, roof gardens could do much to ameliorate the effects of dense traffic. You can read more about some of London’s roof gardens here.