A tie bar is a small plastic coated metal rod or a thin wire which spans the width of your roof at its widest point just above the ring beam above your windows. It is usually fixed on your roof only but sometimes, depending on the roof design, one end can be attached to a host wall of your home. It is designed to provide extra structural integrity to your roof but there are a couple of factors that determine whether one is required or not which are:
Size of roof: The larger the roof, the more likely it is that a tie bar will be required as the forces on the ridge and side walls will be that much greater due to the extra weight.
Geographical location: When your roof is designed and before manufacture, your postcode is used to determine where in the country your roof will be installed. If you are in an area that is historically subject to high snowfall, a tie bar may be required even on a smaller roof to bear the extra weight of the snow.
If you have any questions about whether a tie bar is needed or not, please speak with our surveyor when he visits your home and he will be more than happy to help.