New Roof

For months and months we have been having roof problems, resulting in rainwater entering the tower via the enormous great hole in the tank base in which the lift and stairway to the roof room are located. It has been exceedingly difficult to discover the exact place or places where the rain has been coming in.

We think that the main cause was an incorrectly fitted junction between the roof room and the original roof.  A 'skirt' of EPDM* which had been intended to sit on the outside of the fibreglass roof up-stand was in fact located behind it.  Initially, this would not have been a problem as seals between the glass windows of the roof room bottoms were good when new.  Over time however, water had seeped past them in places, allowing small amounts of water to gradually accumulate in the tank base plates.   Those, by their very nature, were totally watertight so the water was trapped with nowhere to go.   Base plates below and water (and largely air-tight) roof above.

Over the years the level of the trapped water had risen until it reached the timber defences around the stair and lift well.  Those defences eventually rotted in places, as did most of the roof supporting timbers below.  All was well during dry weather but after heavy rain larger and larger amounts of water came in, to be caught recently in an ever increasing quantity of receptacles on the lounge floor by the stair and lift well.

We eventually crossed the Rubicon and ripped up parts of the fibreglass roof to discover the awful truth that its supporting timbers needed total replacement.  So, a replacement roof was urgently needed - in winter!  Meantime the tower was left exposed to whatever Mother Nature dropped on it.

A very long and tedious story but considerable internal damage had been caused and we have claimed on our household insurance.  Praise be, we are with NFU Mutual insurance and have been for years.   They would cover everything inside but we were on our own with the replacement roof of course.

Flat roofers do not abound in Settle, let alone a roofer with the experience and willingness to tackle this unusual and difficult job.  We eventually found a Leeds roofer, Jack Towell, who was up for the job , enthusiastically.  For the past fortnight Jack and his team have been hard at it, removing the existing roof (three large skips full of it) and replacing it.  Here is yesterday's view of the rain ingress area, now covered with osb boards, ready to be covered by thick EPDM* Firestone rubber roofing, starting today.

The second picture shows the same roof view but with fillets of timber edging, ready for the EPDM* layer to be glued down.

* EPDM is Ethylene Propylene Diene terpolymer Membrane (you may thank me one day for that if it ever crops up in a pub quiz)

Happy Christmas 2024

The old folks:

And the young ones:

Check-ups at Christmas

 For the past two December 18ths I have had 5pm appointments at Townhead Surgery for my annual review and check-up.  This means I walk back through the town nearer to 6pm.  I have the place to myself.  The cars have mostly gone home and so too the people and evening has not got into its swing.  Here are this year's images.   Hardly changed from 2023's but wonderful.  Click on any one to enlarge:

Kirkby Lonsdale Fire

This was the aftermath of a dreadful fire in not-far-away Kirkby Lonsdale at the weekend.   It was right in the middle of the small market town with narrow streets.   The shape and corner position of the building involved made fighting the fire exceptionally difficult.   Sadly a man died.   Water was a big problem in such a small place.   Hydrants ran dry as did the town's water supply in general and special high volume pumps had to be brought in to pump water from the river Lune.   A severe test for the mostly volunteer fire crews from all over Cumbria. Lancashire and North Yorkshire to whom all credit.

Storm Bert

 After several days of dire warnings Storm Bert* is here.   Nothing too bad in Settle though.  A very modest amount of snow followed by lots and lots of rain and a sudden rise in temperature as southerly winds blew in strongly.  Autumn and winter sort of rolled together.  First picture illustrates rainy darkness at just half past four in the afternoon of Saturday 23rd November,   The next two show spectacular low speed skid marks from our lovely new car being driven away over what appeared to be harmless rain-drenched slush.   The car ended up sideways on to the boundary fence having slid down the modest slope sideways.  Fortunately not a scratch.

* Who names these storms?  Bert hardly does justice to the event.

Grandson James at it Again and Ben's Sixteen

 Here's another one of mighty grandson James, quarterback for Birmingham Uni., helping them to a resounding 27-6 win against Cardiff Uni.

Meanwhile, younger grandson Ben is now sixteen

Garden gets a Haircut and Thin-out

 Our policy of letting nature do its thing with the 'cultivated' parts of the gardens has worked well.  But, too well in the case of some high growing plants - brambles and young trees especially.   Autumn is time for a clear-out of those.

We are unable to tackle them ourselves so must call in some help.  Help has come form two directions - Paul and Tracey.   Paul, who we have known for years, was a teller at Settle's one-time Barclays Bank.  He is now a much happier green-fingered man.  He has set about clearing the steep slope of the southern embankment, clearing space for the wanted shrubs:

You could not even see that fence before!  The young trees and bushes are in those ton bags awaiting recycling.  Phase two is attention from qualified plantswoman Tracey.