Thatching is an unregulated trade which means there is no existing structure of approval. Bearing this in mind, always do your homework, thoroughly. I advise you to compare thatchers and their work as this will help confirm the right thatcher for you.

To the untrained eye it can be difficult to distinguish between wheat straw and water reed. Generally wheat straw will have a rounded, thicker appearance due to the pre-existing, historic “base-coats'“ beneath. However when new, the golden color of wheat straw is unmissable. Water reed is duller in colour when new; more a shade of brown. It is sharper and thinner in appearance as it is traditionally thatched directly to the roof timbers.

Identifying your thatch type can be confirmed by a trusted thatcher, by researching your property on the Historic England website or with your local conservation officer.

If every element of the thatching process has been approached correctly, then your thatched roof will last between 20 - 30 years. The life span of a thatched roof greatly depends on the skill, knowledge and concern of a thatcher, the quality of the chosen material, the pitch of the roof, local weather patterns and specific location. Choosing a thatcher with best knowledge to apply good quality material, whether it be wheat straw or water reed onto your roof will insure the longevity of your thatch. Typically a thatched ridge will last 7- 10 years. All that I have listed above will equally contribute to the life span of your thatched ridge.

The simple answer is that water reed can last longer than wheat straw, but wheat straw can last longer than water reed. As described in question 3, the longevity of any thatch greatly depends on the skill, knowledge and concern of a thatcher and also the quality of the material, whether that be wheat straw or water reed. To summarise, I advise that you research a thatcher and any previous work of theirs. Ideally work that is at least 7-10 years old, as this will reveal the true quality of a thatched roof.

To the untrained eye, knowing when your thatched roof needs replacing can seem confusing. Things to look out for, before you reach out to a thatcher are the following:

• You will start to notice horizontal lines appearing on your roof. At this point I would advise contacting a trusted thatcher to inspect your roof.

• If you are experiencing water leaks, this can indicate a worn out roof which again should be investigated professionally.

• As thatch ages it will also reduce in thickness. A new layer of thatch should be between 12-14inches, depending on material type. At the end of its life it will have reduced in thickness by 5-8inches. So a thatch that appears very thin from the outside may be in need of replacing.

Wheat straw is specifically grown for thatching in the UK. We have everything from large scale commercial growers to individuals supplying their own demand. Wheat straw thatching is unique to this island, and we should all be doing our best to preserve it.

Water reed is harvested in the Norfolk broads for thatching. However there are limited supplies which will be mainly distributed to thatchers living and working nearby. As for the rest of us thatchers, our water reed supplies are imported from areas such as Eastern Europe and China.

If your thatched roof has been damaged by an animal then I would advise contacting a trusted thatcher. Animal damage can appear worse than it actually is, however the issue should be resolved promptly to avoid any future problems.

Fire can clearly be a concern for any thatched roof owner. However, there are procedures put into place to help reduce the risk of fire, some are as follows:

• Any active chimney should be 1.8 meters above the ridge line of the thatch. This is required for thatch house insurance.

• Fire felt and fire board can be installed on to the roof timbers before thatch is applied.

• Fire retardant sprays exist that can be applied to the outside of the thatch.

• Avoid wood burners from drawing too strong, especially when first lighting, as burning embers can escape from the chimney.

• Be to sure to have a bird guard fitted to your chimney pot. Without a guard, birds will nest inside the chimney flue which can cause chimney fires once your wood burner is alight.

Conservation laws have been put into place to preserve our historic buildings, and the methods in which they were built. Changing the thatch material type on your listed house would pose the threat of losing that material from that specific roof, and the skills and knowledge surrounding those certain material types. Thatched roof material can only be changed if listed building consent is granted by local authorities.

There are more thatchers in the UK than you might first think. But thatching as a trade is at risk due to a few factors. One being the lack of funding put into our quintessential craft, which would support us greatly to keep knowledge and methods alive. Another issue is that because thatching is an unregulated trade, the training standards are being taken advantage of in some cases, and in turn you can have a skill where many parts are missing. However, there are plenty of well trained thatchers in the UK keeping the trade alive.