Roof Problems
A typical house in central Portugal with a typical roof problem. I often notice this house in Ansiao. The roof is displaying almost all of the roof problems that are common here in Portugal. Firstly this house is located in the center of town and would most likely have been a well built property not a farmers cottage. The roof tiles look in good condition and that is because the roof has been re tiled in the past. 
The hollows and sags are more disturbing. The roof is ready to plunge into the first floor living area. We have seen some roof problems were they have hit the first floor making it collapse and ending up in the ground floor living room. 
The sagging roof timbers are caused by woodworm and the weight of the tiles over many decades.
Although looking quaint when the sagging starts to first appear the woodworm continue to eat away until the roof looks like this.
The sagging causes the roof tiles to slip downwards because they are not nailed in place and gaps appear in the tile covering.
Cue rain !
Rain runs down the roof tiles finds the gaps and may appear as a wet patch on your ceiling or worse it just runs down the roof joist inside the roof to the place where the joists sit on the wall and the water soaks into the wall and joist with the aid off all those old wood worm holes. Because this part of the roof is dark ( not reached by sunlight) the water takes a long time to evaporate.
Which is ideal for “wet rot” and “dry rot”. The ultimate recipe for roofing disaster Wood worm, Dry rot and Wet rot ! 
As the roof starts its inevitable slide to your bedroom or living room floor.
The enormous weight of timber and tiles now not tied together and self supporting start to push out the tops of the walls and break up the top of the gable walls even in stone houses.
The results can be very expensive to rectify and dangerous to live under.
A brief introduction,
Castelo Construction Lda. We carry our all types of construction work to a high standard, we project manage and help source items that you may require to be added you your new home.
Most of our new build or refurbishment clients are living outside Portugal when the work is being done. We understand a client’s need for regular and clear communication.
We send frequent reports with photographs detailing work done, suggestions and questions. We can be contacted on www.casteloconstruction.com Call us on 00351 927168247
