Guidance: Fire risks in Thatched Homes

Organisations such as Historic England and the Thatch Advice Centre have long warned about the higher fire risk linked to wood burners and other solid fuel appliances in thatched homes.

Insurers look for chimney pots to extend at least 1.8 metres above the roof ridge. This helps carry sparks and embers away from the thatch and reduces the risk of a fire spreading. Low chimneys have a risk of downdrafts so the 1.8 metre requirement improves draft efficiency.  

When insurers assess thatched homes, pricing is influenced more by the overall risk including fire, the cost and complexity of rebuilding, how the property is occupied, and its location, rather than the presence of thatch alone.

Most serious fires in thatched properties start from internal sources, such as solid fuel appliances. Homes without wood burners, or where strong fire prevention measures are in place, will usually be viewed more favourably by insurers.

For these reasons, chimney height and solid fuel requirements reflect established safety guidance and are standard practice in the specialist thatched property insurance market.