Boarding a loft out without felt under roof tiles?

[Patroller]

Hi there.

Firstly 'Hi' as this is my first post. I recently bought a new house with my girlfriend and we have alot that we want to get done in time.

My first question on here is regarding our loft. Our house is a 1930's semi and the roof tiles sit directly on the wooden batons. This lack of felt has created quite a mess in the loft and it gets damp and very dirty. Some attempt has been made previously to put up some temporary plastic sheeting in an effort to direct any water or drips from landing on the roof floor and be directed towards the wooden soffit area.

I dont think we get any real leakage or drips but with heavy rain and strong wind in the right direction it does get damp, as mentioned above.

The loft floor is currently unboarded except for a few loose bits. What I'd like to do is lay some better boards so that its a bit safer walking around up there.

My question is , is there any point in laying boards up there considering it can get slightly damp? At the moment the insulation is exposed and in parts its just plasterboard from the upstairs ceiling showing.

If I were to reinsulate it all and board it would the damp have a negative effect on it all?

I am aware there is no real way of sealing the roof off without taking it all off and relaying it which is not an option at this point.

Hope somebody can give some pointers. I have read around similar topics on the subject but nothing specifically answers my question.

Thanks.

 

[Gobo]

If you insulate, raise batten and board it out any leaks etc will quickly be found as you'd see drips on the loft board, once located you could do some quick fixes for the time being. Ensure you keep some air flow into the loft when you insulate it, if there's dampness in there now you might find there no air flowing in and around the loft. Make sure the insulation in there now isn't blocking the gaps where the wooden soffits are, it will make it a bit cold up there for the time being but will help to get rid of the damp.

Gobz

 

[Patroller]

Thanks alot for the reply. I recognise that yes; I will have damp spots etc but these are not through drips but just moisture getting in.

My main question really is whether it is worth spending any money on insulation and boarding if it has a chance of getting damp?

I'd really like to try and keep some heat in upstairs!