“Once you’ve installed a Tile roof, all your roofing problems are over for life!” This is not true though. Tile roofing is one of the best options but it can develop problems and leaks.
Things you need to know about Tile Roofing:
The main idea of installing a tile roof is to build a strong long term leak free roofing system. Tile roofs are best because they shed most of the water, especially during rains. But there are occasions when a little water creeps into the felt layer below the tiling. The ‘Felt’ is something made out of asphalt based materials. Over time ‘felt’ tends to deteriorate. With aging the material becomes brittle. Over time it is bound to develop cracks. That is when the water that seeps in from the tile roofing finds its way and leaks.
Leaks occur when the penetration pipe is damaged or at times the area near the chimney or skylight opening is damaged.
And, yes tiles break at times!
So to answer the question, “whether tile roofing requires repairs?” is a big YES!
Possible Repair Situations
Fix a leaking roof when it rains
In case your tile roof begins to leak while it’s raining heavily; you can get your contractor to get a tarp positions over your roof. This solution works for a while. You can get a complete check up done once the rains stop. The only condition when installing an emergency tarpaulin is that your roof is free of algae and moss deposits.
Fixing Vents
Roofs that are comparatively new generally do not have such issues. You may notice a sudden leakage. But it is advisable to wait till the rain stops because the water may be coming from a vent because of wind-driven rain. Using a tarp during such occasions does the trick. You can call your contractor for a general maintenance visit. They check the pipes and clean off loose debris. Replacing broken tiles or re positioning existing ones can also do the trick.
Damaged Felt
It is possible that the underlying layer made of ‘felt’ gets damaged; especially when the roofing system is more than 10 to 15 years old. In such situations experts check the entire lower surface bottoms-up to see the course of the water stream. The idea is to fix the damage at the very source.
Broken or Slipped Tiles
You can get your contractor to good a good patch up job if you detect broken or slipped tiles. If you do not wish to get an entire section re-done then go for patchwork; The contractor with replace the old tiles with fresh ones, and you are good to go!