SA Roofing September 2018 // Issue 104 | Page 22

FEATURES Thatch industry under fire In a SA Roofing exclusive, we investigate smouldering issues associated with the installation and treatment of thatch roofs – a fiery problem that poses a detrimental impact on humans, structures and the life of the thatch sector itself. PART 1 By Candace Sofianos King and Ntsako Khosa m A beautiful raw material to build with, thatch is being killed in every sense of the word due to varying inconsistencies in the industry. F or centuries, humanity has made use of thatch to build durable structures, protecting them from the elements. Remaining a versatile and attractive material to this day, thatch, if properly installed, is one of the most alluring and practical forms of roofing. Due to a plethora of problems raised in recent months, thatch has become a hot topic for debate – one that requires critical discussion by all sector role players. Clients have come forward expressing that they’ve experienced rotting and weak thatched roof structures, with some structures even 20 SEPTEMBER 2018 CLADDING // CONCRETE // INSULATION // STEEL // THATCH // TIMBER // TRANSLUCENT // WATERPROOFING // COMPONENTS collapsing. Dissatisfaction has been expressed by various industry players that such structures are a result of bad construction, poor quality materials or sometimes even untreated timber. In most of these instances, the thatch roofs or lapas have been erected by unskilled and unqualified individuals hired off the street or fly-by-night businesses not recognised by the thatching industry. A major issue for concern is the application of damaging chemical substances sprayed on roofs which are either incorrectly tested or not tested at all. “As in many industries in our economy, there are fly-by-night and dubious operators who market their services to consumers. While efforts are made to eliminate these operators, they somehow always manage to convince consumers to utilise their services, and at times with dire consequences,” highlights fire engineer Mike Heatlie of Thatch Protection Services (TPS). Operating for 27 years, TPS has performed visual fire tests on thatched panels in numerous locations including Gauteng, Bloemfontein, Durban, Thabazimbi as well as Windhoek.