How do you rebed ridge capping on a tile roof?

Ridge capping is mostly an issue on clay or concrete tile roofs, which are less common in Georgia than asphalt shingles but appear on some Mediterranean style and higher end homes.

Why ridge capping needs rebedding

Traditional mortar bedding is rigid. Over years of heat, cold, and house movement it cracks and shrinks away from the tiles. Water gets behind it, caps loosen, and wind or storms can knock them off.

The general process

1. Remove the loose ridge caps carefully and number them so they go back in order.
2. Chip away all old, crumbling bedding down to the tiles below and clean off dust.
3. Lay a new bed of mortar along the ridge, or use the mortar or foam product the tile maker specifies.
4. Reset each cap in a straight line with consistent gaps, pressing it into the bed.
5. Point the joints and edges with a flexible pointing compound that moves with the roof without cracking.

Dry ridge and mechanical fixing

Many current installation guides call for ridge tiles fastened to a ridge board with screws or clips, sometimes over a ventilating ridge membrane, with little or no mortar. These systems avoid cracked mortar but still need inspection after storms.

Safety and risk

Tiles crack under foot, and broken tiles cause leaks of their own. Unless you know how to walk a tile roof, hire someone who does. If the issue is really storm damage, document it first; see wind damage to roofs in Georgia and common roof leak causes.