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Clay Tile Roof Inspection Wear or Damage Indicators - Photo Guide InspectAPedia®  -     Wear & damage indicators on clay tile roofs Clay tile roof inspection, failures, repair, product defects Roof inspection, leak detection, roof diagnosis, roof repair

Here we discuss wear and damage that can be found on clay tile roofs by visual inspection. We include advice about how to inspect a tile roof. Our page top photo shows clay roofing tiles installed in the Northeastern U.S. This roof had been damaged by foot traffic. Clay tile roofs are often damaged by foot traffic, ice and snow, or by severe storms.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links show where you are in our document & website.

Examples of Clay Tile Roof Wear or Installation Problems that Limit Roof Life

We recommend against walking on clay tile roofs as you are likely to damage the roof leading to the need for costly repairs. Our photo of broken clay roof shingle-tiles (above right) was taken during an inspection made without walking on the roof surface - for obvious reasons: we didn't want to shoulder the blame for this damage.

Our photo of a tarred roof valley and damaged interlocking clay roof tiles (above left) was taken from a ladder at roof edge.

The common failures on clay tile roofs include cracked broken tiles, spalling (in freezing climates), loose tiles that slide down out of place (on roofs where not every tile is secured to the roof deck), flashing failures (corrosion or cracking), and fastener failures. We also find leaks in clay tile roofs that were improperly flashed or that were built on a low slope and without a waterproof membrane.

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

At the photo lower left corner you can see a pair of replacement clay tiles that have been put in place, but more replacements are needed wherever a broken roof tile is found. Carson Dunlop's sketch (above right) illustrates the most common locations where cracked or broken tiles are found on clay tile roofs.

In some climates clay tiles may also become damaged by spalling from freezing when the tiles were wet.

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR
ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING
ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES
BUILT UP ROOFS
CERTIFICATIONS for ROOFING CONTRACTORS
CHIMNEY INSPECTION & REPAIRS
CHOOSING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR
CLAY TILE ROOFING
  Clay Roofing Tile Types
  Clay Roof Tile Installation Specs
  Clay Roof Tile Connections
  Clay Tile Roof Wear
FIRE RETARDANT PLYWOOD
HEAT TAPES & CABLES on Roofs for Ice Dams
LOW SLOPE ROOFING MATERIALS
MASONITE WOODRUF FIBERBOARD ROOFING
MEMBRANE & SINGLE PLY ROOFS
METAL ROOFING TYPES
MODIFIED BITUMEN ROOFING
ROOF INSPECTION SAFETY & LIMITS
ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS
ROOF VENTING ENERGY SAVING DETAILS
SLATE ROOF INSPECTION & REPAIR
SOD ROOFING
SIDING WOOD
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on Building Exteriors
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on Roofs
STANDARDS for ROOFING
STONE ROOFING
THATCH ROOFING
THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS
THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS
THERMAL MASS in UPSTAIRS
TILE ROOFING
WARRANTIES for ROOF SHINGLES
WOOD SHAKE & SHINGLE ROOFING
WORKMANSHIP & WIND DAMAGE

• Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education, publications, report writing materials, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
• The Carson Dunlop home study course for home inspectors can be examined at the company's website at http://www.carsondunlop.com/Inspectors/hss.htm
  

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