3 Things to Consider Before Repairing or Replacing Your Tile Roof

Before making a decision on replacing or repairing your tile roof, here are 3 things to consider:

1. The first factor to assess is the tile itself. Are there any broken tiles and, if so, is it an excessive amount of broken tiles? If more than 50% of the tiles are broken or cracked, then a full replacement would be recommended. To try and repair a tile roof with more than 50% breakage is not cost-effective.
2. The second factor is the condition of the underlayment system. Older tile roofs typically have some sort of organic underlayment such as traditional felt paper. The thickness typically ranges from 30lb to 90lb felt paper. Roof tiles are porous and thus, not waterproof so the underlayment system is of vital importance in keeping the roof watertight. Often times we find that the underlayment system fails, while the tile itself is in good condition and has many years of useful service life remaining. In these cases, we can perform a “lift and re-lay,” where we remove the existing tile, underlayment, and flashing system and then install new flashing, and underlayment systems and re-install the original roof tiles. The “lift and re-lay” method can save customers money.
3. The third factor to consider is the flashing systems and penetration flashings. Flashing systems must be evaluated to determine their remaining service life and if they are found to be in good condition, simply repairing damaged tiles can add many more years of service to the existing tile roof.

We know repairing and replacing a tile roof can be costly. We want to help you make the best decision! We encourage you to talk to our custom homes team to learn more about your tile options. As always, we would love to come out and give you a free estimate!