The verge is the second most common way into a Felixstowe roof and the one that fails most dramatically, because it is the edge the weather hits hardest.
On a coastal town with a good deal of exposure, it is worth a specific look.
What the verge is
The verge is the sloping edge of the roof at a gable end — the line where the tiles stop and the wall below them begins. It has to hold the outermost tiles down, close the gap between the tiles and the wall, and resist wind trying to get under the covering. On an exposed elevation it takes more punishment than any other part of the roof.
The two constructions
- Mortar bedded. The traditional method: the edge tiles are bedded on mortar over an undercloak. Mortar is rigid, the roof moves, and over twenty or thirty years it cracks, loses adhesion and falls out in sections
- Dry verge. Modern plastic or metal units clipped or screwed over the edge tiles. No mortar, but they rely on clips, screws and end caps — and every one of those can fail, lift or go missing in a gale
What a failed verge opens
More than people expect. Behind the verge is the space between the roof covering and the underlay at the very edge of the roof, and from there it is a direct run into the roof space along the gable. A single missing dry-verge end cap at the bottom of a run leaves an opening of exactly the right size, in exactly the right place, with a gutter beneath it to arrive on.
The missing end cap is the single most common modern entry point. It is a small plastic component, it is often the first thing to go in a gale, nobody notices it from the ground unless they look for it, and it opens the top of the roof edge.
Coastal exposure
Felixstowe roofs take more wind than most of the county, and wind is what finds a verge. Sustained exposure works mortar loose, lifts dry-verge units at their clips, and removes end caps. Salt-laden air also accelerates corrosion of fixings, which is what dry-verge systems depend on.
The practical upshot is that a verge here wants looking at after every serious gale rather than once a year.
What to look for
- Missing or cracked mortar along the sloping edge
- A dark line or shadow where mortar has fallen out
- Dry-verge units lifted, bowed or sitting proud of the tiles
- A missing end cap, most importantly at the bottom of the run
- Fragments of mortar on the ground below the gable
- A verge tile out of line with the ones above and below it
Repair rather than cover
A verge that has failed needs the verge putting right rather than meshing over. Mortar that is cracked will continue to fail behind anything fixed to it, and a dry-verge run missing a cap wants the cap. That is a roofer's job, and it is worth doing on its own merits — a failed verge is a water and wind-uplift problem before it is an animal one.
Questions
How long does verge mortar last?
Twenty to thirty years is typical before it starts cracking and losing sections, sooner on an exposed elevation.
Is dry verge better?
It avoids the cracking problem and introduces a dependence on clips, screws and end caps. Both need looking at.
Can I fit an end cap myself?
It is at the top of a gable, which makes it ladder work at height. Worth having done rather than attempted.
Squirrel Control Felixstowe
Squirrel control in Felixstowe is £280 fixed cost. Proofing work, where it is needed afterwards, is £180. Call 01502 630 122 and tell us what you have heard or seen.
For squirrel control in Felixstowe, call 01502 630 122, or read the Felixstowe squirrel control page.