Roof tiles are used on many buildings, both homes, and businesses. They have a traditional aspect that can enhance the appeal of your property and raise its value. It’s also important to know that tiled roofs can last for decades if they are cleaned and maintained regularly.

Even though tile roofs are strong, they can be damaged tiles by strong winds or things that fall on them. To keep your home or business in great shape, you must know how to fix a tiled roof.

Tile Roof Repair Introduction

The people living in a building will be safe from the weather if its roof is beautiful and well-made. Even though they are expensive and heavy, tile roofs are often used because they look nice and last a long time. 

People like tile roofs because they last for a hundred years or more without needing to be replaced. Tiles can be made from many different things, such as fired clay tiles, terra cotta, and colored, shaped concrete tiles. Roof tiles made from these earthy materials can withstand storms, strong winds, and even fire. They make a roof that doesn’t leak doesn’t need much maintenance, and uses less energy.

Wind, things falling on the roof, temperatures below freezing, the weight of snow or water, the heat of the sun, and even people accidentally stepping on or hitting the roof while working on or near it can all damage it.

Typically, just one or two tiles are damaged at a time. Not all broken tiles need to be replaced entirely. Sometimes, a few adjustments and a little bit of repair work are all that’s required.

How much it costs to fix a tile roof depends on how bad the damage is, how many tiles are broken, and which roofing company you hire. But if it’s not too hard, you can do it yourself with a sturdy ladder and a little know-how.

Identifying Your Tile Roof Issue

Every three months, you should visually inspect your tile roof for cracks and other issues.

If the gutters are cleaned once every month, nothing will accumulate in them. Leaks can be caused by broken tiles or worn underlayment, leading to water damage that worsens over time. If a problem is found, it is essential to fix it quickly. Costs will go up if there is a lot of damage to repair.

To fix a problem, the first step is to find out where and how bad the damage is.

To fix a tile roof without the help of a professional, you need to know a few things. Broken tiles could be caused by problems with the structure or ventilation of the roof.

The following are the most prevalent issues with tile roofs:

• Minor cracks or gaps in the tiles
• Broken tiles
• accumulated garbage in the roof valley
• Defects in the underfloor

Do-It-Yourself Tile Roof Repairs

As different as the problems are, so are the ways to solve them. If the problem has been found and the proper precautions and tools have been taken, you can use the following steps to fix a tile roof without the help of a professional.

Small Cracks or Holes

You can fix small cracks and holes in tiles with plastic roofing cement.

• Initially, use a wire brush to clean the damaged area.
• Utilize roofing cement to patch, seal, or unite a hole or a crack.
• Smooth the surface with a trowel.

Cracked or Broken Roof Tile

When a broken roof tile is missing a piece or is so seriously fractured that a shard breaks off, it must be replaced.

• Carefully raise the tile (or tiles) above the damaged or cracked one using a flat pry bar. Be careful when you lift them because going too high could hurt them. Use wooden crates to hold them up.
• Then, using the tool’s flat end, pry up the fractured tile. If it doesn’t come out, you can protect the tile below it from damage by putting a piece of wood under it. Use the hammer or the flat bar to break the tile, then pick up the pieces. Using the flat bar, pry up the broken tile and pull out any nails holding it down. If this is not possible, you can use a flat bar and hammer to drive nails into the wood battens or roof sheathing.
• Spread a bed of roofing cement over the area where the tile being replaced used to be, and then slide the new tile into place. The glue or cement should be enough to hold the new tile in place, so you don’t need to use nails.
• Carefully put back the tiles that you raised before.

By sticking a piece of roofing felt, a waterproof membrane, or a flashing strip to the damaged area and letting it dry, you can temporarily use roof glue to fix a cracked roof tile.

Leaking Roof Tiles

A leak is a pretty complicated problem. The only remedy is to locate and repair the source of the leak.

The first step in finding where the water is getting in is to check the roof’s surface for damage. From the attic, one can observe damp spots, watermarks, stains, or discolorations on the underside of the roof. Take these into account before going up on the roof.

If you turn off the light in the attic, you might be able to see daylight through the crack. After reading this, you’ll better understand where to look on the roof.

If you are still unable to locate the source of the leak, you might use a hose to spray water on the roof. Eventually, the water will leak into the attic.

If you find a hole that seems to be where the leak is coming from, you can mark it by sticking a nail or thin wire through it from the ground.

• Utilize a flat pry bar to remove the tiles surrounding the leak.
• Apply roofing cement to the hole to mend it.
• Replace the tile that is fractured or cracked.
• If water damage has been going on for a long time and has caused the roof to sag, the wood sheathing and rafters under the tiles will probably need to be fixed before the roof tiles themselves. Talk to a professional roofer.

Rapid Repair for a Leaking Tile Roof

You can sometimes temporarily fix a hole in a roof tile with sheet metal flashing, which you can find in most hardware stores.

• Get a square of 12 inches by 12 inches galvanized flashing.
• Once you’ve put the metal flashing piece over the hole, you can put the broken tile back in place. Flashing cement should be used to set the metal piece.

More Tile Roof Repair Tips

• If you see a problem with your roof but aren’t sure what needs to be done to fix it, call a professional roofer for a free inspection and detailed quote. The roofer should know what they need to do.
• Stay safe out there! For optimal traction on the roof, rubber-soled shoes are recommended. Wear a seat belt. Team up with other people. If you must climb a ladder, be careful and have someone else hold it. Tie a knot around the ladder to keep it from moving.
• If it starts to rain or gets too cold, it stops working.
• A roof should not be worked on if there is a probability of a storm.
• You must get rid of all broken pieces and loose tiles.
• Roofing cement can be applied with a putty knife to fill in tiny fissures and holes.

Conclusion

Broken tiles can lead to water leaks and damage to the waterproof underlayment from the sun, which can cause a chain reaction of expensive repairs. Before it’s too late, we need to take steps to stop it. If the problem is simple, it might be a good idea to fix it yourself and save money.

If your tile roof has more significant problems, you should call a professional roofer as soon as possible to make repairs. This will keep your home’s structure from getting worse.