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1. My tile roof is leaking ... should I remove it?
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Answer - Not yet ... first have a roofer check the rooftop for broken
tiles (remember clay tiles will break under sufficient weight impact so
make sure more tiles are not broken while your roof is being checked ...
use an experienced craftsman). Many times painters, chimney sweeps,
unknowledgeable roofers and/or other craftsmen break tile-roofing
material because they don’t know how to walk on it. Falling tree limbs
can also cause impact breakage. If your search locates a few broken
pieces they are easily replaced with matching Vintage tile by using
"clips" made for just this purpose.
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2. I don’t have any broken tiles but my roof is leaking ... should I have the tile removed?
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Answer - Not yet ... properly vitrified good quality shale does not leak. Check to see where the roof is leaking. Is the leak near the valley ... or chimney ... or other intersection where the flashing and underpinning may be the culprit. If this is the case, have a reputable roofer check the area. Often, you can simply take up a section of tile, fix the flashing and underlay and then replace the tile. If the underlay is no longer viable, the entire roof may need to be taken up and relayed. If you plan to undergo this process it is vital that your tile is properly removed so that you can recycle it. (See Article # 4 in our Educational Series for important hints on this process.)
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3. The edges of the individual clay tile pieces on my roof are crumbling ... what causes this?
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Answer - This sounds like the spaling that occurs in some regional
"softer" clay tiles. Not all mud banks are equal and not all processes
of vitrification are equal. Some sources of mud used in the manufacture
of clay tile will not burn out hard enough to become vitrified, hence
waterproofed. Often these tiles are found in our extreme Southern
regions where the freeze thaw conditions do not affect them adversely.
However these tiles do have a limited life range unlike hard shale.
During the process of vitrifying clay tile the temperatures must reach
very high degrees ... be maintained and then dropped gradually to produce a tile with a 1-5% water absorption rate. It is possible to have your tile inspected before you make the decision to replace it.
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4. A roofer told me to get rid of the clay tile on my roof and replace it with modern fiber-glass shingles because the tile is old and out of
fashion.
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Answer - WRONG ... do not take this roofer’s advice. Every year we find
homeowners losing the beauty and value of their "Vintage" clay tile
roofs through this kind of harmful advice. Your tile roof is
architecturally and historically timeless as long as the tiles were
originally sound. A clay tile roof can easily outlast a home ...
sometimes they can outlast lots of homes! (See our article on Antique
Clay Tile from France ... V.S.O.T. ... it’s hundreds of years old and
fabulous!)
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5. I just had a tile roof installed and it is leaking. What should I do?
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Answer - Immediately call in an expert to find out what has caused the
problem. If the tile is from a reputable corporation, the leaking could
be caused by improper installation (See Article #6 ... Educational
Series) or craftsmen who were on the rooftop AFTER the tile installation was completed may have unknowingly broken some of your new
tile.
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6. I have Clay Tile in the Imperial pattern made by Ludowici ... can you
match this tile?
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Answer - The word "Imperial" is a reference to the product line of Ludowici-Celadon ... it is not a pattern or style of tile. In the early
part of this century, the word Imperial appeared on all of their
patterns, so it is not helpful in identifying your tile. Please check
the different shapes on our Vintage page to see if yours is there ...
these are the common patterns used. If you cannot find your tile
pattern, please send me a WHOLE piece and I will identify it at no charge to you. UPS to: The Tile Man, 1040 South Main Street, Louisburg,
NC 27549. Please be sure to place a tag with your name, address and
phone number on the piece of tile so we can contact you.
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7. My older home is no longer able to hold the weight of a clay tile
rooftop. Since the tile is an integral part of the architecture and the
cost to reinforce the entire structure is prohibitive, what can you
recommend?
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Answer - It may be possible to use a "lightweight" tile to save the
appearance and value of your home while alleviating the weight problem.
(See our Concrete Tile Page for details on lightweight tiles.) The clay
tile you remove could potentially be used as a trade-in on the newer
tile if this is feasible. At any rate, you need a qualified engineer to
decide how much weight your home can safely hold.
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8. I have been told that it will be impossible to match the tile on my
roof with Recycled or Vintage clay tiles and I need to have some tiles
replaced. I cannot afford to have the tile specially made and I am
afraid I will lose my clay tile roof. Do you have any ideas to help?
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Answer - MAYBE. A. Do you have an area (like a porch roof or dormers) which could be re-roofed in copper ... this would free up tile that could be utilized in repairing the major roof. Using copper in this manner often enhances the installation visually. B. Since I don’t know what kind of tile you have, this solution is tricky but I have seen it successfully done many times. There are usually portions of any rooftop, which are inconspicuous or not viewed easily from the ground
level. A similar tile matching the overall size and appearance of your
tile might be used for a portion of the roof that fit these aforementioned criteria. Again this may free enough original tile to
cover all the repair work which is in easy viewing range. If this is
correctly done, it will be invisible from the ground and there will not
be any architectural downside. C. Warning - there is a temptation (when
there is not sufficient tile to properly complete the job) for the
roofer to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the tile. This will not give you a waterproof
installation and should always be avoided. D. Ask an experienced tiler
to look at your roof. Many "roofers" are not expert craftsmen in
tiling, it is easier for them to tear it off and throw it away simply
because they don’t know much about tile roofing procedures. Check out
the expertise and philosophy of the person before you make an
appointment. A qualified tiler may have some practical and helpful
ideas based on their personal experience.
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9. I am going to have my clay tile roof removed and then re-laid. How
should I stack the tile while the repair is going on?
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Answer - First, read Article #? In our Educational Series. This will help you take the tile down, number it where necessary and then store it properly until it is relayed. Each pattern of tile is normally stacked in a particular manner that puts the weight on the strongest possible point. Please download our "How to Pack, Stack and Ship" page which will help explain how each pattern should be stacked for storage. In general, store the pieces into groups similar to their normal position on the roof before take-off ... then, when the roofer is ready to re-lay, the groups will be already be properly sorted. It is also important to number cut pieces so they can easily be reapplied with an assured fit.
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