What is roof capping, and how much does it cost?
Short answer. Roof capping is the row of cap pieces that covers the ridge and hips where two roof slopes meet. On Georgia shingle roofs it is usually thick, pre-bent ridge cap shingles nailed over the ridge vent; the cost depends on whether it is a small repair or part of a full replacement, the linear feet involved, and roof height and pitch.
What capping does
- Seals the peak: where two slopes meet there is a gap in the shingles. Caps cover it and the nails of the top course.
- Protects the ridge vent: on most modern roofs, the caps sit over a vent that lets hot attic air out.
- Finishes the look: matching caps give hips and ridges a clean line.
Types you will see
- Dedicated ridge cap shingles: made by shingle manufacturers for architectural roofs, thicker than field shingles and color matched.
- Cut 3-tab caps: older practice of cutting 3-tab shingles into pieces. Thinner and more prone to cracking.
- Metal ridge cap: used on metal roofs.
- Mortared tile capping: on tile roofs. In some countries roof capping means re-bedding and pointing these, which is rare in Georgia.
Why caps fail first
Caps sit at the highest, most exposed point, take the full force of wind, and bake in the sun. Common problems are caps blown off in storms, cracked caps from age, and exposed nails at the last cap that were never sealed.
Cost factors
A few blown off caps are a small repair, mostly labor and a trip charge. Recapping a whole ridge costs more, and on a full replacement, caps are included in the price. Two story height, steep pitch and matching discontinued colors all add cost. Storm damage to caps is often part of a wind claim. See wind damage to roofs in Georgia and ridge vent vs box vents.