The inside of a roof is a place where very few people ever get to venture, but it remains an important part of the homes structure and one where maintenance work may need to be carried out some day.

This feature highlights potential problem areas for maintenance and repair work and summa rises items that could be found in the roof. It also covers safety when working in the roof as well as making life easier when working in a roof.

Trap doors

The journey begins when you enter through the trap door. The trap door should be situated in an easily accessible spot and large enough to allow you to easily pass through.

The entire roof should be accessible through this point and if there is a firewall dividing the different sections, a trap door needs to be present for each section of the roof.

Trap doors should be well secured and firmly attached in place, ideally onto a stronger structure like the roof trusses or house walls. This applies to the border or brandering to which these trap doors are often attached.

Many a burly man has come tumbling down when hoisting himself up through the opening, often bringing down the trap door and half the ceiling.

The most noticeable item in the roof is the roof trusses. This is the intricate network of wooden beams and planks that holds up the roof and supports the roof tiles or sheeting.

When traversing through the roof you would use these structures to hold onto and walk along.

Geysers

Leading up into the trapdoor


Electrical wires running up from the electrical distribution board.


Electrical wires running down a DiDe to the liaht switches and Dluas


The old method of running electrical wiring through the roof on cleats.

The geyser or hot water system is often situated in the roof. The geyser is often the cause of maintenance problems like that of a faulty element or burst system.

It is often a good idea to have the trap door situated near to the geyser with the connections facing the trap door. This makes it easier for a technician to replace a thermostat or element without having to climb right into the roof.

Some of the older types of geysers also have a water tank situated nearby. All geysers should have an inlet valve and an isolator switch that can be turned off in the event of a leak (burst geyser) or maintenance repairs.

There is often a network of water pipes running through the roof, but these are mostly concerned with the geyser. There would be the cold inlet pipe leading into the geyser and a hot water pipe leading from the geyser down to the bathroom and kitchen hot water taps.

Electrical cables

A network of electrical wires and cables also runs through the roof. In the older houses, these wires are firmly attached to cleats. More modern homes have pve tubing in which the wires run.

The main electrical cable usually runs under the house and up into the distribution board.

The wiring is divided into the various circuits and make their way up into the roof. Inside the roof they lead off into the various light circuits, switches and fittings, geyser and often the plugs.

Further wires may be found where alarm units have been installed. These are often the smaller white wires found scattered throughout the roof. Aerial wires are also usually run through the roof. The light fittings often project through the roof.

Transformers for low-volt lighting may be scattered in some parts where these lights are found.

Insulating properties may line the inside of the ceiling like pink Aerolite, and plastic sheeting can also be found under the roof tiles in some homes, particularly those found along coastal regions, which helps to waterproof the roof.

Animals in the roof


Modern PVC tubing is now used in most houses to run electrical wiring.


A junction box for wiring.


An electrical draw box. This is used to feed wires through.

Various animals take up residence inside of the roof, although few like to endure the extreme heat that can occur. The most famous of these are rats and to a lesser extent mice.

Rats can sometimes be heard running along the ceiling at night. It is a good idea to discourage these rodents as they can sometimes chew through electrical wiring causing problems. Many people place poisonous baits or traps in the roof for pest control.

Birds also sometimes nest or take shelter in the roof. The Indian Mynah bird, in particular, often builds large messy nests made up of leaves, grass, thatch, wool, paper and plastic. This can be a fire hazard if built over lights or exposed electrical connections.

Bats are another creature that may be found in some roofs, as well as spiders and the occasional snake in houses situated along the coast or lowveld, especially when trees and hedges grow up alongside the roof.

Despite many people fearing these animals, most spiders, snakes and bats are harmless and will usually flee when encountered. I know of at least one electrician who came crashing down through the ceiling on top of a tea party after having sighted a very large (but harmless) rain spider!

Safety precautions

At some stage you may need to carry out work inside of a roof. This may be to lay an aerial cable, carry out general repairs or to inspect possible leaks. Working in the roof is hazardous and the following precautions should be followed:


A water pipe showing the inlet gate valve leading to the water unit.
? Work and move slowly in the roof as if moving in slow motion. Watch where you are stepping and make sure your weight is distributed evenly on solid wooded beams of the trusses or on the top of the house's inner walls.

Never step onto ceiling boards or the brandering used to secure the ceiling.

? Ensure that the roof is well lit. A portable carry lamp is often useful in this regard. A torch may be too dim and the batteries may run low.

Consider the switch situated at the trap door. This will provide plenty of light and will certainly impress the plumber