Ridge and hip tile repairs

Where two roof slopes meet at the top, there is a gap that the slates or tiles cannot close on their own. Ridge tiles sit over that line and seal it. Hip tiles do the same job on the sloping corners of a hipped roof. On most older roofs they are held in place by a bed of mortar; some newer roofs use mechanical fixings instead.

Because they sit so high, ridge and hip tiles take the full force of wind and rain. They also move slightly as the roof timbers expand and contract with the seasons, which puts the mortar under constant strain.

From the ground, look along the ridge for tiles that sit out of line, gaps between tiles, or a ridge that looks wavy rather than straight. Pieces of mortar in the gutter or on the path below are a common clue. You might also hear a tile rocking in strong wind.

Inside, a damp patch near the top of a wall or on a top-floor ceiling can point to water getting in at the ridge. Please do not climb up to check; take a look from the ground, or let us see it.

If the tiles are still firmly bedded and only the outer joints have cracked, repointing can be enough. That means raking out the loose mortar between the tiles and replacing it so the joints are sealed again.

Where the tiles lift easily or the mortar underneath has crumbled, repointing simply hides the problem. The tiles need to come off, the old bedding cleaned away, and the tiles relaid on fresh mortar. Sound tiles are cleaned and reused where possible, and broken ones replaced with the closest match. We tell you which approach your ridge needs and why.

High wind often finds a weak ridge first. If a tile has come down, keep people away from the area below, as more may follow. Gather any pieces that land safely, because intact tiles can often go back on. Then get in touch and we will make the roof secure.

Our guide to a storm damaged roof explains what to check safely and what to do while you wait for a repair.

Many slate roofs in Fife and beyond are finished with clay or concrete ridge tiles, while others have a lead-covered ridge over a timber roll. Each needs a different repair. A tile ridge is rebedded or repointed; a lead ridge is checked for splits, lifted edges and failed fixings and repaired accordingly.

While we are at the ridge, we check the slates just below it, because slipped top courses often go hand in hand with ridge problems. Our slate roof repairs page explains how we deal with those.

We start by looking at the ridge and hips, and the loft if possible, to see how much of the line is affected. Mortar needs dry weather to cure, so we plan the work around the forecast. You receive a written quote setting out the length of ridge to be repointed or rebedded, any tiles to be replaced and how access will be arranged.

Ridge work is often combined with other repairs, since access is already in place. Our main roof repairs page covers the wider range of faults we fix, and our guide to roof repair cost explains what affects the price. Rowan Roofing is a family-run business and you deal with the same team throughout. Call 07508 571291, Monday to Friday 7:30am to 6:00pm or Saturday 8:00am to 12:00pm.