Dependable Construction understand the important roll the ridge cap plays on a roof. Today most of the better designed ridge caps have a sealant on the underside to resist high wind blow offs. They are commonly made with fiberglass re-in forced Modified Bitumen. No longer, are ridge cap shingles brittle, susceptible to cracking, granule separation and blow offs. Most manufactures warranty the ridge caps the same as the field shingles. Some roofing systems are rated up to 110 – 130 MPH and would be covered under a manufactures warranty if damaged in a high-wind event.

In higher wind areas or areas that experience frequent storms it’s a good idea to install the ridge caps towards the prevailing winds. Since this is Ohio and we see all four season and high winds in a given week Dependable Construction does this on every roof. When the ridge runs north and south and the prevailing winds are from the south, we nail the ridge caps at the north end, installing the next ridge cap shingle into the south or prevailing wind. This keeps the lapped part of the shingle from facing the wind and reduces the possibility of wind damage.

Using proper sized nails is very important. With the thicker architectural shingles, high-definition ridge caps and ridge vent, some installers are not using the correct nail length. Nails must be a 10-12 gauge, roofing nail with heads 3/8” to 7/16” in diameter, and this is for gun nailing hand. Nails should be long enough to penetrate through the roof deck or at least ¾” into the roof deck. Dependable Construction likes to use 2” nails when installing ridge vent, helps to ensure more than ¾” penetration in the wood. With homeowners using ridge vents more and more over box vents these days for ventilating attics, Dependable Construction would use a 3” inch nail. All of this will help ensure that the ridge vent and/or shingles will remain in place during most high wind storms.

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You can contact, Dependable Construction by call (937) 318.9572 to speak to a roofing professional or visit us online to learn more what we do and how we can help with most home improvement projects.

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