A roof peak can make your home look amazing. Offering better design qualities than a flat roof home, an attractive roof will make your kerb appeal surge! But did you know that a roof ridge is much more than an appealing design feature?
Read on to learn the different types of roof ridge and the benefits that each type can provide.
What Is a Ridge on a Roof?
The ridge on a roof is the highest point of the roof. But underneath the aesthetics, the roof ridge provides your home with so much more!
The roof ridge provides a sound structure that holds both sides of the roof together. Two slopes intersect and are joined by the beam that provides the roof ridge. It also helps rainwater slide down the slopes to prevent water build-up.
An open ridge in roofing can also act as a way to ventilate your home and provide a cool flow stream. This effectively reduces the amount of cool energy used in your home, saving you money in the long run.
What Are the Different Types of Roof Ridge and Their Benefits?
Various types of roof ridges can provide varying aesthetics. Here are the different ridge roof types for you to consider for your home.
1. Ridge Beam
This roof ridge is the traditional method used in house construction at a high point, sloping rafters meet at the ridge beam in a horizontal line. Stability on each side of the ridge beam is achieved, creating an attic space inside of the roof. An entire length ridge beam roof transfers half the load to the walls and half the load to the gable wall.
The ridge beam roof can be used on greater slopes and offers stronger support. Typically, a significant benefit of the ridge beam roof is the useable attic space that it provides. Windows may be installed in the attic space to release any hot air flow inside the home, cooling the property down.
2. Ridge Board
A ridge board roof is faster to install, although is not as structurally strong as a ridge beam roof. Gentler slopes are required for ridge boards, although a purlin brace may be required for ridge and wall support.
The benefits of a ridge board roof are similar to a ridge beam in that rainwater slides down the slopes to prevent a build-up. However, the attic space created by a ridge board is shorter due to the gentler slope. Furthermore, the weight transfer is fully on the wall when using a ridge board roof.
3. Trusses
A prefabricated roof may be used for convenience. Predominantly used in newer homes, trusses consist of a triangular frame that is positioned onto a property wall and secured with purlins.
Trusses are faster to install and are sometimes a less expensive option. However, the structural benefits are not as strong as a ridge beam roof.
4. Hipper
A hipper roof does not consist of gable walls, providing a roof plane on either side of a central ridge. This offers a similar method and benefits to a ridge board roof, although a hip roof is positioned at an angle.
5. Rapid Ridge
A new variety of roofs is the Rapid Roof by Evo Build. Utilising a dry ridge and incorporating the benefits of a hip system, the Rapid Ridge offers a cool tile roof that lets your home breathe.
Whilst the benefits of a sloped ridge beam roof is present, Rapid Ridge provides additional benefits all year round. The roof is built with a cooling system to allow heat to escape into the air.
Installation is fast with zero maintenance required. You will have a cooler home during the Aussie summer due to improved ventilation, reducing your cool energy costs by up to 43% each year.
What Covers the Ridge of the Roof?
A ridged roof may be covered by ridge roof capping. When using ridge caps, roof ridges are covered in specially shaped triangular tiles. The joins of the ridge of roof slopes are then covered to provide properties resistant to most weather conditions.
Ridges in roofing can be vulnerable to poor conditions of weather, providing leaks to the interior of the roof which would require maintenance. When using ridge caps, roof longevity is achieved, as ridge capping covers to ensure your whole roof is watertight.
It is important to maintain the condition of your ridge roof capping, however. If a crack appears in the capping, water can filter through to the ridge and the interior roof. Tough weather conditions can exasperate this damage and wear down the ridge roof capping.
Regular investigation of the ridge capping should be done every year. Spotting a crack in the capping early can result in easy maintenance before any damage is done to the roof.
Install the Rapid Ridge by Evo Build!
The Rapid Ridge roof has revolutionised roofing in Australia. The high Aussie temperature can lead to poor condition on roofs and hot temperatures inside. The Rapid Ridge improves ventilation, installing a cool air process complete with cool tile roofing.
Contact Evo Build today for a professional visit from our expert team and feel the benefits of Rapid Ridge today!