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There is considerable debate about whether retrofitting of tile roofs is
practical or cost effective. Due to the uncertainty of the tile staying
in place on the roof, the smartest thing to do may be to make sure that
you have adequate debris impact protection for all your glass window and
doors. Tile from your own roof can break your windows, but frequently
the roof tile debris will come from your neighbor's roof.
Tile roof repairs or retrofits should be done by a professional
roofer familiar with tile roofs.
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Retrofit Options: You could have a roofer remove the ridge and edge
tiles and re-install them using one of the new two part expanding foam
adhesives for tile roofs and an appropriate sized board
(generally a 2x2, 2X3 or 2X4)along the ridge or edge. In most cases, the foam adhesive will end up
bonding the board to the mortar and underlayment running under the ridge or
edge. If the mortar is not well adhered to the underlayment, the resulting
retrofit will be less effective. If the tiles are removed without breaking
them and if they have appropriate holes in them, they can be mechanically
attached to the board. Otherwise, they can be adhered to the board using the
same foam adhesive used to set the board. If the ridge or edge is filled
with mortar and the tiles have come loose, they can be re-attached to the
mortar using one of the new two part expanding foam adhesive or another type
of adhesive approved for use with tiles.
The bottom edge of eave tiles can be held down using clips suitable
for a retrofit installation (they connect to the bottom edge of the tile and
the fascia board) if they are available for your style of tile. Eave tile
can also be anchored more securely by injecting one of the approved two part
expanding foam adhesives into the gaps under the eave tiles.
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Note that the adhesives need to be approved for tile installations
(able to withstand high heat). The typical foam insulation or adhesive
available at a home improvement store will not work for this type of
application.
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Having a roofing professional evaluate your retrofit options is
a good idea for most homeowners.
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Preparation for Emergency Repairs: While we all hope that a hurricane
will not strike where we live, the chances of being struck are higher now that
we are in a period of more frequent Atlantic hurricane activity. If your tile
roof is old and particularly if the tile is attached using mortar, you may want
to stock up on things that can be used to perform emergency repairs in case you
do have damage. If a hurricane damages your roof, it is important to button it
back up as quickly as possible to reduce the chances of additional interior
damage to your house. After the hurricane strikes, building materials can be in
short supply and tarps may be very hard to find for some time. Even if you will
not be able to put the tarp up, having one may allow a neighbor, friend, relative,
or work crew to help you out.
Tools and materials needed:
- Camera with film or available memory if it is a digital camera
- Bucket of asphalt roofing cement and roll of 90-pound organic or modified cap sheet
- Tarps (large enough to cover at least one corner of roof from eave up and over ridge)
- 1x3 lumber and box of 2-inch long deck screws
- Battery Powered (fully charged) Drill for driving screws
- Rope and screw eyelets
- Ladder
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Temporary protection after
storm damage to roof
(click image for larger version) |
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Directions: Take photographs of the damage to use as documentation with
the insurance adjuster. If you have a newer tile roof and the damage is localized,
chances are the underlayment will be adequate to provide temporary water protection
if any holes are patched. The holes or cuts in the underlayment can be patched with
the asphalt roofing cement and pieces of 90-pound organic or modified cap sheet. If
the damage is too extensive, stretch the tarp over the damaged area and extend it
up and over the ridge. Anchor the edges of Tarp with 1x3 lumber to the fascia and
roof surface just beyond the damaged area if there is no tile in this area. If the
side of the roof beyond the ridge is undamaged, use ropes to tie off the tarp to
screw eyes installed in the fascia or soffit at the bottom of that side of the roof.
Anchoring the tarp in such a way that it damages tile in undamaged areas can
substantially increase the cost of final repairs. If you have trees nearby that
could fall on your roof, you may want to also store some pieces of plywood that can
be used to bridge across any roof sheathing damage caused by a falling tree, once
the tree is removed.
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See Ladder Safety Tips, and do not
try to install a tarp in windy conditions. It may drag you and the ladder right off the side
of the roof
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Establishing a solid water-tight foundation
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