Tile Roof Ridge Waterproofing: A Universitas Case Study
Tile roof ridge waterproofing and maintenance — installed as a complete SealPro system by BloemGuard.
Ridge caps carry more punishment than almost any other part of a tile roof. They sit exactly where two roof planes meet, taking the full force of wind-driven rain, and they depend on a bed of cement mortar to stay sealed. This case study walks through a typical ridge waterproofing project handled by an approved SealPro applicator, showing the problem, the repair process, and the result homeowners in Universitas, Bloemfontein can expect from the same system.
The problem: cracked, crumbling ridge mortar
A close inspection along every ridge line told the same story from one end of the roof to the other. The original mortar bedding had cracked and crumbled, leaving open gaps and missing filling between the ridge tiles and the roof tiles below. In several spots the cracks ran clean through, and loose sections had already broken away, exposing the joints directly to the weather.
Blocked valleys and loose tiles added to the risk. Once water finds a path under a ridge cap, it runs into the roof structure instead of off it, which is how ceilings stain and timber battens start to rot. Cosmetic patching would not have lasted a season on mortar in this condition.
The solution: a full SealPro ridge system
Working as an approved SealPro applicator, the contractor rebuilt and sealed all 47 ridges on this roof using a proven system rather than a quick surface repair:
- Rake and clean. Every ridge was raked out to remove loose, failed cement, and blocked valleys and loose tiles were cleared so the roof could drain freely.
- Fill and rebed. Open joints were filled with a fibre-reinforced cement to rebuild a solid, stable bed for each ridge cap.
- Prep and prime. The repaired substrate was prepared and primed so the waterproofing layer would bond properly to both the ridge and the tile.
- Waterproof with StretchSeal. A flexible StretchSeal membrane system was applied over the full length of every ridge, bridging the joint and absorbing the natural expansion and contraction the roof goes through each day.
- Colour code. The ridges were colour coded to match the existing roof tiles, leaving a clean, uniform finish across the whole roof.
The result: a sealed, weather-ready roofline
The ridges came out sealed end to end and blend neatly into the existing roof. Every joint that was cracked, open or missing filling has been rebuilt and waterproofed with a flexible membrane that moves with the tiles instead of cracking against them. The valleys drain freely again, leaving a watertight roofline ready for the rainy months ahead.
If your tile roof in Universitas is showing the same warning signs — hollow-sounding ridges, visible cracks, or a ridge tile that has shifted out of place — it's worth having it inspected before the next heavy rain finds the gap for you.
BloemGuard is an approved SealPro applicator serving Universitas and the greater Bloemfontein area.
Contact BloemGuard for a free inspection and quote: 072 933 0162 · bloemguard.co.za
The work, step by step
