help with rain butts/roof tile compatibility

[ruth]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if someone could help with this query...

Our house was built in 1960 and has those rooftiles which look as if loads of birds have poo'd on them. About a year ago I read a warning letter in a magazine from someone who had the same roof tiles who said that they are in fact leaching something (I can't remember what) and that he had killed off his garden using this contaminated water.

I want to install rain butts but am obviously wary - I can't find any relevant info on the internet so would be very grateful for any help here.

thanks
ruth

[Capsid]

When you say bird poo, is this how the tiles look from the outset or is this what happens with time? If the latter, then this is lichen and I would argue is a good sign.

[Kristen]

How much bird poo is going to come off with each rainfall? I can't see it ill be enough to pose a problem to the plants; that, and leaves, might block pipes up though, and I wouldn't want to put that water through anything other than plants - car washing, washing machine, loo flushing, or any other grey-water type usage.

If it has not rained for a while there will be more bird poo in the first flush, I suppose, and so might pose a problem during less frequent summer rainfall.

There are first-flush diverters you can get - they divert the first few litres [adjustable depending on the size of your roof I suppose] of water.

This type of thing to divert leaves (if that is a problem)

Rainwater Harvesting | The Leaf Beater - Screened Gutter Downpipe Rain Head

(actually, they may be better than putting a net over the top of the downpipe, in the gutter, because it lets the muck down to ground level and so you don't have to clean your gutters Doesn't stop the birds nesting in the downpipes though, I suppose)

and this type of thing to divert the first-flush

Rainwater Harvesting | First Flush Devices Water Diverters or Roof Washers

[SarzWix]

I would think that a roofer (preferably someone you know, not just a random yellow pages find ) should be able to tell you what your roof tiles are made from, then you can Google that info. Unless you know what they're made of, you'll never know what they might leach!

[Snadger]

If roof tiles are leaching it means they must need replacing? If it's lichen on asbestos tiles I cant see there being a problem as asbestos is not toxic to plants and lichen is a sign of a clean environment.

Either do as Sarzwix advises or post a piccie of roof if you can?

[ruth]

thanks

thanks for replies - have got a blocked gutter so whilst it is getting cleaned out I will have a closer look - from a distance it might just be lichen as suggested. I am on the coast so the air is good so that may be it. I don't know if the rooftiles were originally like that or not.

thanks again
ruth