This photo shows concrete tiles and how they are overlapped as they proceed down the roof. I find the look attractive and can imagine why people would like having them on their home. Sadly we have a broken tile piece that will have to be replaced.
Reading up on cement substitutes in the library section and how they relate and interact with cement. There are environmental concerns and also health concerns that go along with some of these products,. But these added ingredients can affect the properties of the cement such as strength, weathering affects etc. Over time methods are being found to help with the concerns and also to help make a better cement product for the needed task.
Flashing and clay tile is properly installed on bay window.
The following image are of a component of the gutter system on a tiled roof in Miami, FL. The image shows raised flashing in a corner section of the gutter system. This flashing is designed to catch “over shoot” from rain water in an area of the roof where water runoff is particularly heavy. The flashing appears to be functioning properly since there are on signs of water staining on the exterior wall and on signs that moisture is entering the inside of the home.
28 year old barrel tile roof located in South Florida. Power washed annually and still in great shape. Been through a couple of hurricanes with minor damage. Replaced a couple of tiles. Still has a couple of cracked tiles with no roof leakage.
Fiber cement roof tile. Not sure if it is one that may contain asbestos. The roof tiles appeared to be in overall serviceable condition, however some hairline cracking was occurring at some tiles. The tiles with cracking were a the valley and may be due to someone in the past using the valley to walk up to the ridge. The valley drainage spacing is between an open an closed valley spacing, but was clear of debris.
The uploaded picture is of a clay tile roof system. I noted that the valley tiles are very close together so this area is of concern for debris building up moisture and poss leaks. The ridge tiles also have mortar mix to seal that area.
I looked at the photos in the gallery of a sagging ridge. Sagging ridge boards are common when the exterior wall deflects outward at the top and there are no collar ties. This is difficult to correct and time consuming to do.
Written Assignment:
This was a Spanish style concrete tile (glazed) roofing material. This is probably one of the most ubiquitous roof coverings in my area. This roof was in serviceable condition with common minor cracks, damage, displacement, or loose tiles. Glazing was worn. Some tile had been replaced with non-glazed tile. Mortar was used to adhere and flash the ridge and needed maintenance in some other locations. Underlayment was in a condition consistent with its age and will need replacement soon. Flashing around penetrations was mostly serviceable and consistent with local standards, if not always ideal.
Written Assignment: Mastering Roof Inspections Tile Roofs, Part 1
Clay and concrete are the most common roofing tile materials. Fiber cement tiles are seldom manufactured anymore and will be seen less and less with time. Tiles also come in metal, composite (plastic and synthetics), and expensive forms of slate and other forms of metamorphic rock. There are low, medium, and high profile tiles, as well as, interlocking, overlapping, and butting tiles. Tiles are usually fastened with the use of wood battens but not always. Most tiles are class A fire rated and have excellent wind resistance–if installed properly–because of their weight (i.e. up to 125 mph), and some have excellent hail resistance too. Some tile are brittle and should not be walked on, especially if replacement is nearly impossible to match and/or very expensive (i.e. slate).
Inspection Essay
I did not have easy access to a tile roof to inspect so I found this photo online. This slate tile roof appears in overall good condition. The 2 broken tiles shown appear to have suffered isolated impact damage, this is not indicative of low quality material or improper installation practices. This is a material defect in the roof and should be repaired by a licensed contractor immediately to avoid leaks and future moisture problems.
Research Essay
As an inspector, we are not required to walk any roof as there are safety concerns involved. With tile roofing the safety concerns are even greater. If you do not know the proper way to walk a tile roof you should do your inspection from the eaves or from the ground using binoculars. A tile roof can be more hazardous than metal or asphalt shingle rooves as the fasteners or interlocks of the tile can fail causing the tile to slip from position under your feet. You can also do much damage to the roof by footfall which you may find yourself paying to repair. When in doubt, sit it out… Write your report and cite any restriction to the inspection of the roof. Report on what you do see and clearly disclaim anything you could not.
This is a picture of something I came across at work recently. It is an asbestos fiber cement slate look tile. Should this be installed on your roof, if it is in need of replacement the disposal is only done by a few companies and it is very expensive. On top of that, the replacement is a premium laminate composite shingle. Also, very expensive. In my opinion, just something to watch out for.
This roof was installed in the late 70’s making it forty plus years old. Although this portion roof has a couple of broken tiles, obviously due to walking up the hip. It is in very good shape for its age. The Hips are all sealed and no missing tiles. The underside of this roof is an open garage and there were no visible signs of moisture from the inside. I would highly recommend getting an estimate and repair of the damaged area as soon as possible before any more damage occurs from moisture.
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I live an area where tile roofs are not easy to find. I located this photo online and based on that it appears to be in good condition. No major damage. I do not see any loose or sliding tiles. Appears to be missing flashing above garage.
Research exercise.
I looked at one of the photos in the gallery. The type of tile used was the S-tile. There is a microbial growth on the majority of the tiles. There is a mortar joint at one point in the roof. There does not appear to be any lifting or broken tiles.
The attached image is of a damaged clay/concrete roofing tile. I say clay/concrete, because it can be difficult to differentiate between the two with certainty. In this case, I am leaning towards clay. This tile has been split and is in need of repair in order to prevent moisture intrusion into the building envelope. A pen is placed next to the image for visual reference for how large the split is.
This skylight penetrating the roof appears to be flashed well. I only viewed this from a ladder at the eaves. There were already a lot of tiles with the bottom right corner cracked so I did not want to walk on the roof and cause any more damage. There did not appear to be any signs of water damage from inside the attic at the skylight.
Article on Electric Service Panels.
The electric panels are boxes that house circuit breakers. It cannot be stressed enough that safety must be a top priority when inspecting electric panels. Make sure you have a clear exit path and are not standing on a wet floor. Some things to check for are aluminum branch wiring, double tapped connections, improperly sized breakers and evidence of failures such as burned or overheated components. Make sure that the panel has your undivided attention while inspecting.
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