Can I remove cement from my roof?

Hi, I have a clay "S" tile roof. At the ridge line, there is cement put in there in the "u" part of the "s"that makes it look finished. I am getting ready for a re-roof and wonder, if I can get that cement out of there, will that keep me from losing/breaking so many tiles when the roofers come to pull the tile? And if so, how do I go about removing the dried cement that's been there for 26 years?

The Mortar installed at the Ridge and Hips and other places of termination is not just to give it a finished appearance.  It is referred to as “Weather Blocking”.  A very important part of a finished Tile Roof.   In the process of removing the existing tile, the loss of tile will be great.  The Tiles that have Mortar bonded so tightly that it won’t separate, toss it.  Install Fresh Weather Blocking that will divert rain water properly. 

In the last 26 Years, many improvements have been made in Tile Installation procedures and Felt Underlay.  Your Qualified Roofing Contractor will have the updated information needed to assure that your New Roof, using existing Tile, will give you more than 26 Years of satisfactory service.

Develop a relationship with your roofer and schedule a roof inspection and Tune-Up (if necessary) every 5 years.  Wind damage, tree branches, etc. can cause minor damage.  If not repaired, can become expensive repairs. 

For information on Qualified Roofers, contact National Roofing Contractor Association (NRCA.net) or Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA.com) for recommendations.  Your question is specifically about Tile Roofs.  An Excellent source of information regarding Tile Roofs is Tile Roofing Industry Alliance (Tile Roofing.org). You are to be commended for having the insight to consider the proper way to handle things like weather blocking.  You may find these Web Sites very interesting.

I’m sure you will have a successful project that will service you for many years. 

Your Friends at Ask A Roofer,