Thatched roof are poor friendly shelter- Dr.K.Govindaraju

A thatched shelter in Amoor constructed by SEVAI

Indian thatched house has a roof made from local coconut palm leaves. In villages this might be heather, but mostly it was reeds or straw. The thatch needed a lot of work to make sure it kept the water out. A person who thatched roofs were called a thatcher.The thatch had to be replaced after a number of years. Thatched homes can still be seen all over the country. Usually they are beautifully kept. Many cottages and small houses have good ventilation and this is important to let fresh air and light into the house. The tradition of thatching has been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years and numerous descriptions of the materials and methods used. Good thatch will not require frequent maintenance..The thickness of the thatch decreases over the years as the surface is gradually eroded. A thatched roof can be thought to be nearing replacement when the horizontal fixings of each course are close to the surface. “A roof is as good as the amount of correctly laid thatch covering the fixings.” The performance of thatch depends on roof shape and design, pitch of roof; position the quality of material and the expertise of the thatcher.Thatch has some natural properties that are advantageous to its performance. It is naturally weather-resistant, and when properly maintained does not absorb a lot of water. There should not be a significant increase to roof weight due to water retention. A roof pitch of at least 50 degrees allows precipitation to travel quickly down slope so that it runs off the roof before it can penetrate the structure. Thatch is also a natural insulator, and air pockets within straw thatch insulate a building in both warm and cold weather. A thatched roof will ensure that a building will be cool in summer and warm in winter. Thatch also has very good resistance to wind damage when applied correctly. Thatching materials range from plains grasses to waterproof leaves found in equatorial regions. It is the most common roofing material in the world, because the materials are readily available. Because thatch is lighter less timber is required in the roof that supports it. -Govin