[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-663047-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-663047-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","thatched-roofs-loss-prevention-standard-version-1-5","Thatched Roofs - Loss Prevention Standard - Version 1-5","","Loss Prevention Standard – Asset Classes thatched roofing guidance for managing property damage risks from combustible, rapidly igniting roofs. Version 1.5 dated 20th February 2026 sets out risk factors, including thatch type and typical service life, maintenance inspection practices, and features affecting fire detection and firefighting effectiveness. It details longevity drivers such as weather exposure, moisture, vegetation, roof pitch, netting, birds and rodents, fixing failures, and workmanship quality, plus fire causes and general precautions focusing on chimneys and ignition sources.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/thatched-roofs-loss-prevention-standard-version-1-5/663047/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/thatched-roofs-loss-prevention-standard-version-1-5/663047.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Anna Hans","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-28",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":33},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"What does the standard cover for thatched roofs?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"It provides guidance on managing property damage risks associated with thatched roofing materials, focusing on key risks and how to minimise potential damage. It is not intended to address liability exposures.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"What inspections and maintenance practices are recommended?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"Thatched roofs should be regularly inspected and maintained by a competent thatcher. Essential remedial work should be undertaken without delays, and inspection frequency should increase as the roof ages.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"What factors can reduce the longevity of a thatched roof?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"Longevity is affected by weather exposure (elevations and ridges), wet or low-lying climates, shaded areas with moss and lichen, shallow pitched sections where moisture can build up, and factors such as bird or rodent activity and fixing support failures.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},663047,1793224807,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,95,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":92,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":131},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":33,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":79,"read_time":144},5909892332657,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","Loss Prevention Standards – Asset Classes  \nThatched Roofs  \nThis Loss Prevention Standard provides guidance on managing the property damage risks associated with thatched roofing.  \nVersion: 1.5  \nDate: 20th February 2026  \nAviva: Public  \nThatched Roofs  \nIntroduction  \nThatched roofing provides an attractive, environmentally friendly, and wellinsulated roofing solution. It is unfortunately combustible in nature and can burn rapidly once ignited.  \nThe guidance in this document outlines the main risks associated with thatched properties and provides helpful guidance on minimising the potential for damage. Note: This document is focussed on property loss prevention in relation to the use  \nof thatched roofing materials. It is not intended to address liability exposures. The presumption is that all regulatory requirements, Fire Risk Assessments, and compliance with requirements placed by the local authority having jurisdiction which would include licencing, building permissions, regulations, codes, or standards, have or will be met.  \nThatch Types  \nWater Reed/Norfolk Reed. Water/Norfolk Reed is a common and durable thatch material with a typical life expectancy of between 40 to 60 years.  \nCombed Wheat/Devon Reed. Similar in appearance to water reed, combed wheat thatch is also commonly used and has a typical life expectancy of between 25 to 35 years.  \nLong Straw. Softer in appearance thatch and with a life expectancy of between 15 to 25 years.  \nFibre Thatch. A seldom used synthetic material, manufactured from Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) sheets which are moulded and coloured to look like real thatch.  \nMaintenance  \nThatch should be regularly inspected and maintained by a competent thatcher. Essential remedial work should be undertaken without any delays, to help prolong the thatch life expectancy and reduce the risk from storm and other weather related damage.  \nFrequency of inspections should increase as the roof ages.  \nRoof ridges are commonly formed from long straw, combed wheat or sedge. These usually require earlier replacement than the thatch coat, typically lasting 10 to 15 years. This is in part due to the decay of wooden fixings.  \nAviva: Public  \nFactors affecting the longevity of a thatch include, but are not limited to the following:  \n• Elevations and ridges exposed to the weather – these will wear faster than sheltered locations.  \n• Wet climate and ‘low-lying’ locations (West of England/Wales)– where moisture encourages decay.  \n• Shaded areas and nearby trees – allowing moss and lichen growth.  \n• Shallow pitched roof sections (less than 45%) and coat/ridge sections beneath chimneys – allowing moisture build-up.  \n• Presence of netting (usually wire)– to reduce damage by strong winds and deter bird activity.  \n• Bird activity – removal of straw thatch for nesting and searching for food (insects)  \n• Rodent activity.  \n• Failure of fixing supports – resulting in slippage of thatched sections.  \n• Density of thatch and workmanship quality.  \nThatch Depth  \nThatch can be anything from less than 1m thick to more than 2m. Where thatch is deeper, the roof is more susceptible to heat build-up, with there being a greater surface area of thatch next to the chimney. Increased thatch depth arises where additional coats of straw thatch are laid upon existing coats for repair, rather than fully removing and reroofing. Increased depth of thatch can reduce the height between the thatch surface and the chimney, increasing the risk of the thatch catching light from embers.  \nThatch Property Features and Concerns  \n• Thatch is a combustible construction material and can ignite and burn rapidly.  \n• Thatched roofs are designed to repel water, which can make firefighting challenging.  \n• As thatch is external:  \n✓ Fire detectors located inside the building may not activate promptly.  \n✓ An alarm is often only raised once fire has been observed by passers-by, neighbours etc.  \n✓ Occupants may be unaware of the fire, resulti","cbCaiomIil5qbUjd","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiomIil5qbUjd","pdf",408773,14,"English","# Introduction\n# Thatch Types\n# Maintenance\n# Factors affecting the longevity of a thatch\n# Thatch Depth\n# Thatch Property Features and Concerns\n# Causes of Fires\n# General Precautions\n## Chimneys","[{\"question\":\"What does the standard cover for thatched roofs?\",\"answer\":\"It provides guidance on managing property damage risks associated with thatched roofing materials, focusing on key risks and how to minimise potential damage. It is not intended to address liability exposures.\"},{\"question\":\"What inspections and maintenance practices are recommended?\",\"answer\":\"Thatched roofs should be regularly inspected and maintained by a competent thatcher. Essential remedial work should be undertaken without delays, and inspection frequency should increase as the roof ages.\"},{\"question\":\"What factors can reduce the longevity of a thatched roof?\",\"answer\":\"Longevity is affected by weather exposure (elevations and ridges), wet or low-lying climates, shaded areas with moss and lichen, shallow pitched sections where moisture can build up, and factors such as bird or rodent activity and fixing support failures.\"}]","Thatched Roofs - Loss Prevention Standard - Version 1-5 | PDF",35]