We love Steve Shelter probably because he is so far from perfect. However, the bit of him we love the least is the roof, where endearing imperfection has crossed a threshold and become malfunction. The roof has been great for climbing onto for a sunny picnic lunch (this will have to stop, we realise… so sad), but it’s not been brilliant at keeping out the rain. This is understandable: it has been built by children from a random collection of materials found in skips. It’s also not level enough to support a panel so Westmill Solar have given us enough money to improve the roof too. We wait for materials for a LONG time and just as we are about to give up hope, they turn up. The kids carry the sheets over the railway bridge and we start work.
The roof panels need to be cut to size (job for the adults; it involves a very scary disc cutter) and meanwhile, the roof is covered in felt underlay to wick away any condensation that may gather under the metal sheets. The felt is fixed down with wooden batons on top of which we fit a length of foam filler strip to keep out wind-driven rain and furry or feathery friends (who are nevertheless welcome to nest in other areas of Steve that are easier to fix if munched on!)
We’re ready for the roofing sheets that are now the right size. They are of the ‘box profile’ type instead of the more common gentle wave profile, because this offers a nice flat surface for the solar panel frame to bolt onto. And the colour is green, of course, to camouflage Steve into his surroundings that are now bursting with summer foliage.
Once the sheets are screwed into place, we finish the day fitting ‘flashing’ to cover any sharp edges that are at head-height and to give Steve a water-proof apex. Then, we ceremoniously remove the bucket that had been gathering the persistent drip from the old roof. We are water tight and ready for the panel!