Perplexing Tile Roof Leaks

Our photo above left shows broken clay roof tiles a very common clay tile roof defect that is also a common leak source.

Perplexing tile roof leaks.

While some issues will go beyond your roof and will be related to other things to do with roofing or the installation methods some of the common issues with clay tiles are. More discussion on walking on fragile roofs is later in this article. Consequently i have been hired to track down some of the toughest leaks in town. The anatomy of a proper pipe flashing there are two main components to a pipe flashing.

There is no such thing as a tile roof leak where the repair can be done without first deconstructing the area of tiles and flashing. Some roof leaks are tough to locate. Use a hammer to assist in the removal but be careful not to damage any of the good tiles. The first leak seemed simple enough.

If the roof is in a tree zone leaves are washed into the watercourses and over time this leads to clogging and eventually blockage during heavy rain. The water courses will leak and on concrete roof tiles water will also leak over the upstream edge of the tile. Sometimes the water shows up at a ceiling spot distant from the leak. And once in awhile even professionals are baffled by a roof leak and must do a little detective work.

The case of the outside wall. If your ceiling has a plastic vapor barrier between the drywall and the attic insulation push the insulation aside and look for flow stains on the plastic often water runs to openings in the vapor barrier such as at ceiling light fixtures. We recommend against walking on clay tile roofs as you are likely to damage the roof leading to the need for costly repairs. It must be sealed below the tiles.

Some leaks are so inexplicable only a highly trained professional can figure them out. Dirty or broken watercourses. Tiles that are broken or have large cracks need to be replaced in order to fix the leak. Leak repairs to tile roofs cannot be repaired by sealing anything on top.

If your roof is old the chances are that your tiles have been fixed using mortar.