Nashville has seen a tremendous interest in tile roofs. We have installed countless of them the last 10 years. But before we arrived here from Denver, there were several homes with tile roofs, some of them since the early 1900’s.
Nashville Tile Roof Repair
So the question is how can you, a non-roofer, know when a tile roof repair is needed?
Today, I want to cover two specific areas:
- How to inspect a tile roof
- What to look for
First (and foremost) DON’T walk on your tile roof…please.
Not only for your safety, but to prevent any tiles from breaking, we suggest only an experienced craftsman who knows how to walk on these types of roofs be allowed. Trust me when you see them it’s like they are floating.
Do not in any way walk on the roof if you have clay tile (that Spanish-looking, red stuff). It is very fragile and is pretty much guaranteed to break if improper weight is put on it.
When you are ready, get these two things:
- Binoculars
- Ladder
Now you are ready! Let’s get on our ladders and inspect these common Nashville tile roof repair problems:
Broken or fallen tiles
Broken tiles are something that needs to be addressed and addressed immediately once you see a broken or fallen tile.
Why?
With a tile missing or broken it allows the underlayment to become exposed and therefore vulnerable to the weather or elements.
For instance, the sun and birds.
Organic material between tiles
In Tennessee we are surrounded by trees, lots and lots of trees. Fall will be here shortly and that means the leaves will be falling and the winds will be blowing with organic debris. When rain hits and leaves have piled up in the valleys, chimneys, etc., they go nowhere. They get soggy and next thing you know mold is festering underneath the tile and eating away the underlayment.
Don’t do this. Especially with Spanish tile and clay tile roofs. Organic matter gets caught very easily and can wreak havoc if ignored.
It’s time to call and schedule roofing maintenance.
Horrible flashing work
We see this all the time. Unfortunately, we have run into several reputable roofing companies in Nashville that wanted to “get in the game” of tile roofing. What they found is several unhappy customers and home builders. Why? Because they treated their flashing the same as a shingle roof.
No…no…no.
Flashing is the material around any vents, pipes or other exposed penetrations. If not installed correctly, flashing can lead to water damage.
Here’s the result of a chimney that had bad flashing installed when we did this Nashville tile roof repair
Water damaged fascia
Fascia is what you see when you look at the lower edge of the roof line. It is a straight board that wraps around the house. Last winter was cold and some of our roofs took a beating. Well, so did our fascia. Left out another winter when you see water damage or wood stripping leaves them vulnerable for water, ice, and leaks.
Take your binoculars and look for cracks and wear and tear.
Roof sagging
Remember I talked about reputable roofing companies trying this tile roof “thing” out. Another issue we run into is the unfamiliarity of weight issues.
Concrete tile per square weighs 900 lbs. If your house is 5000 sq. ft. which converts to 50 squares of tile.
900 x 50 = 45,000 lbs. (Yep, make sure you have an expert that knows about weight issues and what to do)
This is too much weight for a home that was recently built to have shingles installed. Even if you have an older home in Oak Hill, Tennessee and want to replace your shingle roof with a beautiful new clay tile roof. The issue will always be weight and can the structure hold that much weight.
Don’t let this deter you though. If you find your roof sagging, call us and we will coordinate with our structural engineer to analyze and correct any structural issues.
The hidden problem you can’t see: Underlayment
Well you’ve taken your binoculars, stepped onto the ladder, and can proudly declare – my roof looks amazing and I won’t need any Nashville tile roof repair this year.
Underlayment is just that – under your tile. Jose will always tell you your roof system is the tile roof it is not a decoration. The underlayment is not only a have too, but it is another layer of protection from any water damage.
You might say – Ok Michelle, how am I going to uncover any damage if I can’t see it?
Well, let’s say this first – don’t worry. More than likely your underlayment is in fantastic shape. What I want to give you is a rule of thumb when it comes to knowing when a tile roof repair may be needed.
If your home is 13-25 years old and hasn’t been inspected in a while, call us or a Nashville area roofer you can trust. They will know if your underlayment needs replacing. They will know if animals have been housing there and eating the underlayment. They can easily remove some tiles in a questionable area and put the tiles back on with no problem.
Don’t go into another winter without an inspection. Give us a call at (615) 452-0161.
