Roof Access Hatch – 5 Considerations
Guest post by Hubert Dwight
If you are considering building a house with a flat roof or very low pitched roof (2-5 degrees) perhaps you should think about a roof access hatch.
If you are thinking about installing a roof access hatch in your new home, here are some important things to consider:
Convenient Access
There are a lot of reasons why you might want to have convenient access to your roof .
You never know when you are going to need to get up there to do small repairs, install an aerial, clean the solar panels, or just retrieve your kids ball from the roof.
In fact, some people have small gardens because of the shade free sunlight they get up there.
Whatever your reasons for installing a roof access hatch, having this convenient access is much easier and safer than having to get out the ladder and climb up the outside of your house.
NB If you plan on regularly accessing your roof you will need to address the issue of ‘Falls From Hight’ and take precautions such as high parapet walls or balustrades.
Safety
Having access to the roof in times of fire, flood, or other natural disasters can save your life.
For example in a bushfire situation it would make it easy to install sprinklers on the roof perimeter to provide a spray that would envelope the house.
In a flood the roof will be the safest place.
While these events don’t happen often, don’t let yourself get caught in a situation when you realise you should have had one installed for safety reasons.
Sustainable
Its a good idea to ask about the insulated options.
Openings facing the sky lose a lot more heat in winter than vertical openings. they also are subject to the most direct sunlight in the summer.
Now, while you might spend more money on the front end, down the road you will have minimised your energy consumption.
Access To The View
If you are a serious amateur astronomer or just a casual ‘stargazer’ you can get a much better view from above the streetlights.
A view from the roof will also give you an unobstructed view of the New Year Fireworks!
Value
When you decide to invest in a roof access hatch quality is very important.
Our homes and properties are some of the biggest investments we can make in our lives so for a roof hatch value means quality more than price.
On the roof the hatch will have to withstand pouring rain and strong winds. . . In alpine areas there could be snow and ice in winter.
You should look for a supplier with well designed weather seals and strong construction to avoid warping.
Achieving a 5 star energy rating is also really important.
A roof hatch can have many benefits but make sure you choose quality.