Replacing ridge tiles on your roof
Always remember – working on roofs can be extremely dangerous. Always use the correct safety precautions.
When you live in South Yorkshire then you can expect a lot of wind and rain throughout the year. We always go on about roof inspections and Sheffield roofs tend to require additional repairs in comparison to more temperate parts of the UK. One of the most vulnerable parts of the roof will be the ridge tiles. Perched on top of most pitched roofs you will find in Sheffield, they take the full force of the weather month after month – year after year. They are often the first tiles to come loose and be dislodged, and this leaves your roof vulnerable.
Frost can initially crack and disintegrate the binding mortar and subsequent high winds cause the ridge tiles to finally give way. Replacing them doesn’t always require a local roofing contractor – it is a job you can do yourself provided you follow appropriate safety precautions.
Replacing the actual roof tile
Once you have safely gained access to your roof you need to check all ridge tiles for any which are loose. You may have one which is obvious and the reason you have originally attempted the repair, but where there is one there are often others. They can sit, un-bonded, on old and disintegrated mortar and unless you replace them they will inevitably disappear as soon as the next storm hits Sheffield.
Remove all loose tiles and all loose and cracked mortar. Use a hammer and chisel to get rid of all excess mortar before applying a stiff wire brush to clean and scour surfaces as well as any tiles which you will be re-using.
Use 3:1 sharp sand to cement ratio for a stiff mortar. Lay a thick layer along the crest of the roof as required and make sure you cover each side of the roof. Press down your ridge tiles onto the roof and use a trowel to remove any excess mortar and ensure that the gaps at each end of the tiles are also full. An old slate positioned at the very end of each line of tiles can provide a neat, flat end.