Having that picture postcard country cottage complete with thatched roof is the dream of thousands. What many later discover to their chagrin that as charming as that thatched roof is it brings with it a whole host of problems. Anyone considering buying one of these cottages should do their homework and find out as much as they can about the upkeep of that precious roof. Here are our 5 tips on keeping your thatched cottage safe from its biggest threat; fire.

Have your chimney swept regularly by a professional chimney sweep to help cut thatched Cottage Insurance

You shouldn’t need to burn your fire all year round so set a routine for the chimney to be swept. It should be done before you light it for the first time after the summer break, once or twice through the season and then at the end. It’s vitally important that your chimney is as clean as possible so it only emits smoke and not sparks.

Get yourself covered by quality thatched roof insurance

Yes there is such a thing and to be honest nobody with a thatched roof should be without it. This covers your roof against not only fires but storms, floods and accidental damage. If you own a thatched cottage that you let out as a holiday rental this should be in place alongside your standard landlords insurance.

Only burn seasoned wood for lower thatch cottage insurance

It can be tempting to throw any wood on that fire but you should really only burn season wood. This is wood that contains less that 20% moisture and has no green present at all. By only burning seasoned word it greatly reduces the risk of any sparks travelling up that chimney and produces more heat in the fireplace without choking on smoke.

Consider fitting heat detectors around the thatching

These are quite a new invention and many householders view them as an investment worth their weight in gold. As the name suggests these sensors are located in various positions around the thatching and will let you know if the heat is reaching a dangerous level. They give you plenty of notice as well so it’s not a mad panic once you hear the alarm go off, simply distinguish the fire for a while until the temperature drops. They tell you this as well.

Cover the chimney with a bird cover

You don’t want birds in your chimney full stop so a bird cover that still allows the smoke to escape is often worth its weight it gold. Few people realise that birds tend to nest just inside the chimney and as you have no control over what materials are used once they are alight they can easily float out and land on your thatching. Depending on the way your chimney has been built as well there can be little cavities and ledges which the brushes go straight past during the cleaning process. You could have a fire waiting to happen.

These tips will help cut the cost of your thatch cottage insurance – if you want help get in touch