The attached photo shows a tile roof with hail damage. As you can see the damage from the hail has destroyed this roof. One thing to pay particular attention on a tile roof is if you decide to walk the roof you need to be very cognizant of where you place your feet on the tiles as they can easily break these tiles. In my business I will be offering drone inspection of the roof which will eliminate this possibility and will capture a video that I will supply my client so they may observe the entire roof inspection.
In the article “Roofing” it describes different types of roof covering. The tile roof is noted to be the strongest material with the longest lifespan. The lifespan on a tile roof is based on the performance of the installation. If the roof is installed properly it can last 50 years or more and requires no maintenance.
For tile roofing, valleys can be installed using various methods depending on the area, type of tiles used, and local jurisdiction. The two most common methods used for tile roofing is the open and closed method. The valleys should always be lined with metal flashing. The tiles should not continue across the valley.
as you can see in the photo this is a valley that is damaged. the metal is completely rusted away and the under lament is rotted out along with the plywood and the truss tails allowing water to penetrate into the overhang area.
tile roof inspection are a large part of the roofs here in Florida and being able to inspect them properly is very important to the completion of the home inspection report. they should not be walked on and viewed from the attic area and the from the ground.
Tile roofing can be damaged in various ways. Footfall is one of the most common types of tile damage. Footfall usually occurs on parts of the roof that are heavily traveled due to routine maintenance or repairs. These areas include tiles around chimneys, valleys, and satellite dishes.
This clay tile valley is being reinstalled using the saved good not broken tiles and is an example of what happens to tiles. The tiles outlived the batten fastening system. Notice the 1x2 batten vertical strips that have a greenish color which is the pressure treated look of wood. And the new underlayment membrane. Some new nails also. Notice there is some kind of growth and dirt on the tiles.
Broken clay tile. probably by step-fall of someone inspecting the roof. it is almost impossible to walk on clay tile roofs without damaging them, particularly soft clay. When it is necessary to walk on tiles, step only on the head-lap (lower 3 inches) of each tile
The term “fasteners” typically refers to nails, screws, bolts, and sometimes anchors. Fasteners may directly join together two pieces of material, or the material may be held together by connectors that are, in turn, held in place by fasteners. A good deal of the difficulty in evaluating fasteners is the fact that most home inspectors inspect existing structures, as opposed to homes under construction, so, by the time the inspector sees a fastener, theres usually not much visible except its head. Certain problems affecting fasteners, such as corrosion, may be visible, but other problems may be apparent only to inspectors who understand their properties and those of the materials they join. In addition to becoming aware of visible issues, inspectors should understand some of the basics about fasteners that will help them spot less obvious problems.
The home in this picture has a clay tile roof covering material.
Observed numerous deficiencies in materials and basic installation requirements.
I found interesting is that the tiles are not using fasteners but bonded with mortar to the roof sheathing made of some type of flat bamboo. Under this part of the roof structure is a entire galvanized metal roof which is also part of the internal integraded drainage system where water moves through gutters in between roof covering materials.
Just wanted to share the experience.
(Home is located in the Andes mountains south America)
Tile roof inspections - looking at the most common used materials for roof tiles are clay and concrete in North America today. But in the past tiles had fiber cement which had asbestos as a filler. You will find less popular are metal and recycled plastic tiles. Tiles have low, medium, and high profile. I seen the pictures of the side profiles where they overlap and some interlock And then some butt up against each other. There are barrel tiles, s- shape tiles, and flat tiles. Tiles have great fire resistance,hail and wind resistance.
This is a picture of a tile roof that is undergoing repairs. This is a good view of a tile roof that has expose battens an underlayment. The tiles have a peer to reach the end of their lives and the replacement.
In this article I learnedthat it is a possibility for there to be the presence of microbial growth into not trying to Identify the type of microbial growth. And that it does not mean that the tiles are at the end of their lives and can be clean by pressure washing.
Barometric damper:
A damper is essentially a plate inside the flue and is used to control the air flow through the combustion chamber , the damper isolates the burner from from changes in air pressure and temperature at the chimneys exit.
Dampers are found in furnaces, chimneys and stove pipes. Installing a barometric damper to adjust the draft can increase fuel efficiency.
In this picture, nails or fasteners have been driven through the shingle, reducing it’s ability to keep water and moisture away from the roof deck. Also, the drip edge flashing along the roof stops short and water can make it’s way under the tile and penetrate the home.
when inspecting a tile roof, it is not necessary to look for code compliance. when looking at roofs with clay and concrete tiles, make sure there is at least at 2:12 slope. If the slope of the roof is from 2:12 to 4:12, look for the double layer of underlayment needed to keep moisture out.
During the inspection of this slate tile roof, an inspector would observe and report that it is in great condition. As you can see there is no spalling, cracking, or missing tiles. The installation looks to be very good as well, as you can see with the ridge cap and counter flashing on the chimney.
This essay is based on the article Mastering Roof Inspections: Tile Roofs, Part 1. Education on the different types and styles of tile roofs is an essential part of being a good inspector. Not only is it beneficial to understand the installation process of tile roofs, it is equally important to be exposed to different tile styles do to the fact that how a tile is shaped will change the way they shed and control water runoff.
Above is a picture of a tile roof cracked at the hip part of the roof. This is one of the most common places to see a crack on a tile roof. This could have happened by someone walking on it or debris hitting it.
This house has tile roof. This roof is found to have a few deficiencies at the time of inspection. Several cap tile were found to be loose on the northwest end of the house. On the lower south side several tile are broken and / or loose. In the north side were the tiles and flat root meets there evidence of improper installation of the torch down roof. This areas should be repaired or replace to help protect this roofing system and prevent personal injuries during high wind with loose tiles.
