Tile Roofing in Carson, Checked Before the Rains

How a Tile Roof Works and What Fixing It Takes

Every tile roof has two layers doing two jobs. The tile up top turns away most rain and shades the roof from sun. Beneath it, felt or synthetic underlayment picks up any water that slips past and leads it to the eaves. The tile itself seldom gives out. The underlayment does, as year after year of heat bakes the felt brittle until it splits at the overlaps.

So a tile roof can look flawless from the curb and still let water in. The season's first hard rain slips by a shifted tile, meets cracked felt and reaches the wood. Most of our tile jobs are a lift-and-relay: tile comes off, new underlayment, battens and flashing go down, and your own tile goes back on, with replacements for any broken pieces.

We also do spot repairs on newer tile roofs and install complete new tile roofs. The best stretch for this work is late summer and fall, with the deck dry and the rains still ahead.

What Our Tile Roofing Work Covers

Cracked and slipped tile

We replace broken tile and reset pieces that have slid down the batten. A slipped tile leaves an open gap that sends rain straight onto the underlayment.

Underlayment lift-and-relay

Tile is removed, stacked on the roof and protected. Old felt comes off, the deck is checked, and new underlayment goes down before the tile is reinstalled.

Flashing and valley metal

Valleys, chimney and wall flashing, and pipe jacks are where tile roofs leak most. We replace rusted or undersized metal so water has a clear path off the roof.

Ridge and hip caps

Old mortar at the ridge cracks and lets caps loosen. We reset or replace caps and secure them so they stay put in fall winds.

Eave closures and bird stops

The open ends of curved tile at the eaves invite nesting birds and wind-driven rain. Bird stops close those openings without blocking ventilation.

Matching your profile

Some older concrete tile profiles are no longer made. We look for the closest current match or salvaged tile so repairs blend in.

Signs Your Tile Roof Needs Attention

• Broken tile you can see from the yard

  Cracks often come from foot traffic by satellite or solar installers. One broken tile is a small fix if it is caught before the rains.

• Gaps where tiles have slid

  A row that looks uneven usually means a fastener or batten has failed. The underlayment below is now taking direct sun and water.

• Ceiling stains after the first storm

  A stain that shows up after the season's first real rain often points to worn underlayment rather than the tile itself.

• Crumbling ridge mortar

  Loose mortar and wobbly caps at the ridge or hips let water in at the highest point of the roof.

• Debris packed in the valleys

  Leaves and dirt dam the valley metal, and water backs up under the tile edges.

How a Tile Job Runs From Inspection to Cleanup

1. 1

   Inspection with photos

   We walk the roof stepping only where tile overlaps, which keeps us from cracking what is sound. You get photos of broken tile, flashing and any underlayment we can see at the edges.

2. 2

   Free written estimate

   We explain whether spot repair will hold or the underlayment needs replacing, and why. The estimate lists tile, underlayment, flashing and any replacement tile separately.

3. 3

   Scheduling for dry weather

   We plan relay work for a dry stretch so the deck is never left open to rain. We pull the permit when the scope calls for one.

4. 4

   The work days

   Tile is lifted and stacked, old underlayment is torn off, the deck is checked and repaired, and new underlayment, battens and flashing go on. Your tile goes back in its courses.

5. 5

   Cleanup and walk-through

   We clear broken tile, felt scraps and nails from your yard and gutters, then show you the finished roof.

What Drives the Cost of a Tile Job

Tile work swings in price more than most roofing, since what lies beneath the tile counts as much as the tile. After the inspection you get a free written estimate with every item on its own line. Financing is available through Service Finance Company, subject to credit approval.

Spot repair, relay or a new roof

Swapping a handful of broken tiles is quick. Lifting and relaying the whole roof, or putting on new tile, takes much more labor and material.

Clay or concrete, and finding a match

Clay runs higher than concrete, and profiles no longer made take more hunting to match.

The wood underneath

If the sheathing under the old underlayment has rotted, it gets replaced before anything new is laid.

Slope, height and features

Steep pitches, second stories, chimneys, skylights and solar panels each add hours and flashing.