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Clay tile roof wear & damage: in photographs & text this article describes & explains the causes of all types of wear and damage that can be found on clay tile roofs by visual inspection. These include roofing tiles that are cracked, broken, pitting, spalled, loose, or missing, and of course, leaks in a clay tile roof.

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.

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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.

Foot Traffic Advice for Walking on Clay Tile Roofs

As we discuss at FLASHING, CLAY TILE ROOFS, and as stated in stated in Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction (printed text), to prevent breakage, walk on tiles with extreme caution. Profile tile and lightweight tile are the most vulnerable, and concrete tiles are more fragile when they are freshly manufactured or “green.” If possible, place antennas and other roof-mounted equipment where it is easy to access without crossing many tiles.

Roof access hazards are discussed at ROOF INSPECTION SAFETY & LIMITS

When it is necessary to walk on tiles, step only on the head-lap (lower 3 inches) of each tile. With Mission- or S-tiles, it is best to step across two tiles at once to distribute the weight. When significant rooftop work is required, place plywood over the tile to distribute the load.

Watch out: our own experience is that it is absolutely impossible to walk on many clay tile roofs without damaging them, particularly soft clay such as the roof type used in Latin America (our photo at left). For these roofs contractors have to remove sufficient clay tiles to provide a walking area. The removed tiles are replaced as the worker is leaving the work area of the roof.

On some other fragile but not totally fragile roofs such as slate roofs, cement tile, cement-asbestos, fiber cement, and hard-fired ceramic clay tile roofs, contractors suspend a ladder over the roof surface, hanging it from the ridge, and cushioning it off of the roof surface using foam or insulation padding, or contractors work from scaffolding. - Ed.

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers about wear & damage to clay tile roofs: spalling, pitting, cracking, breaking, loose, or missing clay tiles.

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CLAY TILE ROOFING
  Clay Roofing Tile Types
    S-style Clay & Flat Rectangular Tiles
    Tapered & Barrel Mission Tiles
    Duralita Tile Roof Alternative
  CLAY TILE ROOF STYLES, DESIGNS
  CLAY TILE ROOF SPECIFICATIONS
  CLAY TILE ROOF SLOPE, DECK & UNDERLAY
  CLAY TILE ROOF BATTENS & STACKING
  CLAY TILE ROOF CONNECTIONS
  CLAY TILE WIND & SEISMIC CONNECTORS
  CLAY TILE EAVES, HIP & RAKE DETAILS
  FLASHING, CLAY TILE ROOFS
  CLAY TILE ROOF DAMAGE & WEAR
  ROOFING TILE SHAPES & PROFILES
  CLAY TILE ROOF SUPPLIERS
CLAY, CONCRETE, FIBER CEMENT ROOF TILES

• Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, 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
• Tile Roofs of Alfred: A Clay Tradition in Alfred NY
• Roof Tiling & Slating, a Practical Guide, Kevin Taylor, Crowood Press (2008), ISBN 978-1847970237,
  If you have never fixed a roof tile or slate before but have wondered how to go about repairing or replacing them, then this is the book for you. Many of the technical books about roof tiling and slating are rather vague and conveniently ignore some of the trickier problems and how they can be resolved. In Roof Tiling and Slating, the author rejects this cautious approach. Kevin Taylor uses both his extensive knowledge of the trade and his ability to explain the subject in easily understandable terms, to demonstrate how to carry out the work safely to a high standard, using tried and tested methods. 
  This clay roof tile guide considers the various types of tiles, slates, and roofing materials on the market as well as their uses, how to estimate the required quantities, and where to buy them. It also discusses how to check and assess a roof and how to identify and rectify problems; describes how to efficiently "set out" roofs from small, simple jobs to larger and more complicated projects, thus making the work quicker, simpler, and neater; examines the correct and the incorrect ways of installing background materials such as underlay, battens, and valley liners; explains how to install interlocking tiles, plain tiles, and artificial and natural slates; covers both modern and traditional methods and skills, including cutting materials by hand without the assistance of power tools; and provides invaluable guidance on repairs and maintenance issues, and highlights common mistakes and how they can be avoided. The author, Kevin Taylor, works for the National Federation of Roofing Contractors as a technical manager presenting technical advice and providing education and training for young roofers.
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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

• Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
• Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF] ISBN-10: 0471331724 ISBN-13: 978-0471331728
• Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, David Watt, Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 7, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405161035 ISBN-13: 978-1405161039
• Handbook of Building Crafts in Conservation, Jack Bower, Ed., Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, NY 1981 ISBN 0-442-2135-3 Library of Congress Catalog Card Nr. 81-50643.
• Problems in Roofing Design, B. Harrison McCampbell, Butterworth Heineman, 1991 ISBN 0-7506-9162-X (available used)
• "Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
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