How are ridge tiles fixed onto your roof. First of all let’s discuss what ridge tiles are.
What is a Ridge Tile?
A ridge tile is the tile that runs along the top of your roof. The purpose of the ridge tile is to provide a seal between two sides of the roof so that rain runs off them straight onto the tiles below and eventually into the gutter. Do not confuse ridge tiles with hip tiles. Hip tiles are used where two sloping roofs join such as on the one shown below. (Not our work but this is our image).
Because of their location, both ridge tiles and hip tiles are vulnerable to strong winds and must be fixed in place expertly. It only takes one to become loose making the next one even more vulnerable followed by the disasterous loss of multiple tiles.
Are Ridge Tiles Cemented On?
Traditionally, mortar is used to fix ridge and hip tiles in place. This is effective in general but is subject to wear and tear over the years. It is not always possible to see the loss of mortar before tiles start to fly off during a storm. So wherever possible, we use the dry ridge system.
The Dry Ridge System
We use the dry ridge system wherever we can. Below is a picture of a large bungalow in Oswestry which has a hundred ridge and hip tiles in total. This is suitable for the dry ridge system which uses a mechanical system to fix the ridge tiles and hip tiles in place, attaching them to the wooden struts of the roof below. This makes them more secure because their attachment is to the building itself, and not the tiles below. As you can see, a full roof replacement is not necessary because new ridge and hip tiles will prolong the life of the roof.
Contact Us For New Ridge Tiles
Are you unsure about the state of your roof? Do you worry that the next big storm might cause serious damage? Contact us at Oswestry and Wrexham Roofing and we will assess the situation and provide a free estimate. We only quote for necessary work so that you can keep your costs under control.
Email us at oswestryandwrexhamroofing@gmail.com or telephone us on 07813 016472.
Or check out our other pitched roof work on our website or on Facebook.