Troughs for the roof

A through for the roof, more technically called a ridge tile, is a special type of roofing material designed to cover the ridge of a roof. It is therefore placed at the highest point of the roof or where two opposite sides of the roof meet. 

A ridge tile is usually semicircular or square in shape and when turned upside down, it resembles a trough. It is made of various materials, such as ceramic, concrete, sheet metal, or plastic. It can be treated with a surface treatment, for example, galvanizing in the case of metal. As a rule, its material and colour are chosen to match the roofing.

What is a ridge tile used for

A ridge tile is an important roof element that performs many functions:

• It protects the roof ridge – prevents water, moisture and dirt from entering the roof joint.
• It provides ventilation – together with ventilation elements, it supports air circulation in the roof.
• It extends the service life of the roof – minimizes water condensation and prevents the formation of moulds, thereby extending the service life of the roof.
• It fulfills an aesthetic function – it is an important finishing element that increases the aesthetic level of the roof.

Traditional pitched roofs certainly cannot do without a ridge tiling. Without it, it would simply leak into them. However, some sheet metal systems may be designed in such a way that they do not need it. Modern flat roofs do not have a ridge at all, so they do not even need a ridge.