Mount Hamilton roofs on the hill above the valley

How does the exposed hilltop treat the ridge?

A hilltop roof takes the wind across its ridge with little shelter, and a ridge piece set on weak mortar can rock and lift. The technician checks each piece by hand along the full length, not in a single place.

The ridge vent and the eave trim are checked for lift, since the wind can tear a vent or lift a trim piece that was fixed loosely.

The exposed hill also changes the life of a trim piece. Eave trim and rake boards are battered by the wind and by blown grit, and the paint wears through first. The technician checks the trim along each run and re-fixes or replaces the pieces that have loosened.

How do the metal coverings fare on the hill?

Metal coverings on exposed buildings have their fixings worked by the wind and the heat. A washer that has perished or a screw that has backed out lets the panel move, and each movement enlarges the hole.

The fixings are tested along every run and renewed where they are loose. The panels are checked for dents and for seams that have opened.

How is a visit planned for a distant hill site?

A crew that travels up the hill carries the fixings, the sheet and the sealant for the whole job, so it does not return for a missing part. The list is agreed with the owner before the visit.

No arrival time is promised over the phone, since the road and the crew's other work decide it. The owner is told the expected window when it is known.

Why is a tight seal important on an exposed roof?

On an exposed hilltop the wind drives rain into any gap at a seam or a trim line, and a small gap can let a large volume of water into the building. The technician seals the joints with a sealant that will move with the metal and checks each seal by hand.

Trim and cap pieces are fixed with the number of fixings the wind requires, and the count is written on the scope so the owner can see the reason.

How are the outbuildings' roofs read on a hill lot?

A hill lot often has several outbuildings, each with its own roof and its own fixings, and each is read in the same visit. A leak from an outbuilding can run along a shared wall and show as a stain in a house, so the outbuildings are checked with the house.

The owner is asked to list the buildings and their use before the visit, so the work is planned for each one and the trip is not repeated.

The record notes the days the work was paused for wind, so the schedule can be planned around the weather of the site.