What’s the difference between Defender® Angled & Curved Ridge spikes?

Urban pigeons and seagulls love a roof ridge, whether that’s on your house or above a shop. It is the ideal place for a bird to while away the day, safe from predators, while on the lookout for a tasty treat. Sounds idyllic! Less so for the property owner. Flocks of birds can cause damage to the roof, block gutters with feathers and nests, droppings can cause slip hazards on paths below and of course there are potential health implications.

Stop birds from landing on the roof ridge by installing Defender® Ridge Spikes. These bird spikes humanely stop pigeons and seagulls from landing by acting as both a visual repellent as well as a physical deterrent. Its worth noting that once the roof ridge has been bird proofed, pigeons and seagulls will often abandon the property altogether. There are two types of ridge spikes to choose from to suit all shapes of roof ridge tiles.

*316 Marine Grade is available on request

How do I know which Defender® Ridge Spike to use?

The roof ridge is the highest horizontal line that intersects two angled roof sections. The tiles that cap these intersections come in a variety of designs. The most common in the UK are the Angled Ridge which is shaped like the point of a triangle and the Half-round Ridge tile which is a curved half-moon shape. The angled ridge tile finishes at a point. The Defender® Angled Roof Ridge Spike has a base which is an inverted ‘V’ which sits over the top of the tile. This base is wide enough to accommodate the various degrees of the different types of angled ridge tile. Defender® Silicone is applied to both sides of the angled base and pressed onto the top of the angled tile. The shape of the base provides not only a good fit but also stability to the ridge spike while the silicone is curing. When it comes to finishing the end of the ridge, simply use a hacksaw to cut the last piece to size.

The half-round ridge tile is gently curved in a semi-circular shape. The Defender® Curved Ridge Spike has two similarly curved stabilisers attached to either end of the strip. To install, Defender® Silicone is applied to the base, along the full length of the strip and stabilisers. When it is placed onto the top of the curved tile, the stabilisers stop the spikes from moving or becoming dislodged, even from disgruntled seagulls which will often try to move the spikes while the silicone cures. To finish the row, these spike bases have integral snapping points so it can be snapped by hand to the perfect size. There is no need to reposition the stabilisers as just one on a smaller piece will hold the bird spike in place.

If you have a decorative ridge tile, for example, made up of a line of small triangles or semi-circles, use the Defender® Seagull Spike. This can be snapped into small pieces and each piece is siliconed onto the top of each point in the ornamental design.

Can you advise which Defender® Ridge Spike I need?

Of course we can! If you can identify which type of ridge tile you have or if you are unsure, send us a photo of your tiles, we can discuss the options with you. We will recommend the correct Defender® Ridge Spike and also how many strips you require. Some people like to proof the whole length of the roof ridge so no birds can land at all and then often the birds will look elsewhere to perch. Others prefer to only use a couple of strips at either end of the ridge to stop pigeon or seagull droppings from falling onto the paths below. In this case, the birds will continue to sit in the middle of the roof ridge that hasn’t had spikes applied.

So whether you have half round or angular ridge tiles, look no further for your bird proofing. Give us a call for free friendly advice on 01626 835055 or email us a photo sales@jonesandson.co.ukand we will help you solve your issue.