Roofs made of clay or concrete tiles are very strong and durable as compared to other types of roofing materials. However, if subjected to extreme weather conditions, falling objects, or constant movements, they can be exposed to premature wear and tear or breakage. Replacing or fixing damaged tiles on your roof can be fairly simple as long as you understand the basic rules and take the necessary safety precautions while working on high places.
Before you begin doing any repairs on your tile roof, you will require the following vital tools and materials:
- A crow bar
- A ladder
- Replacement tiles
- Copper nails
- A Hammer
- RT-600 tile roof sealer
Once you have all the above necessary requirements at hand, you can use the following smart step by step guide to repair your damaged or broken tile roof:
Step 1: Determine the Extent of Damage
This is the most important step you should take into consideration while trying to repair your tile roof. Look at the damaged tile or tiles carefully to determine whether they need to be fixed or to be replaced. If there is only a small crack or chip on the tile, then you will only need to do minor repairs rather than replacing the entire tile. To fix a small crack effectively, use a caulk gun to apply the RT-600 sealer inside the crack and give it some time to dry. Once the seal dries and hardens, the crack will be sealed as per your expectation.
The best way to get to the top of the roof to check on the tiles is by using a folding ladder. A folding ladder prevents you from walking on the roofing tiles because your weigh can easily crack or break more of them, a risk you would not like to take. The main advantage of the folding ladder is that you can bend it in different ways to climb different areas of the roof.
Step 2: Replace the Badly Damaged Tiles
Badly damaged tiles are very hard to repair. They usually need total replacement. Carefully slide your crow bar under the tile that requires replacement. Apply a gentle downward pressure on the end of the crow bar to lift the tile out of place. If you experience problems lifting the tile, you can use a hammer to break it further into pieces for easy removal. While using the hammer, make sure you use gentle force in order to avoid breaking the other surrounding tiles. After you succeed in removing the broken pieces, keep them inside a trash bag or bin to avoid causing unnecessary accidents.
Step 3: Replace the Damaged Tiles
After you are through with getting rid of the damaged tile, get your new tiles ready and start the replacement process. To make sure your tiles match, the replacements should be of the same colours, sizes, shapes, and weight. This will also help in improving the beauty of your roof. If your tile roof is 50years and above, chances are that it is mortared and not nailed. In such a case, you will only have to slide the new tile inside the empty space and then seal it by spreading mortar underneath and all around it.
If your modern tile roof has nails, you will have to nail your new tiles carefully for them to be intact like the rest. For added security from unnecessary leaks, make sure you apply mortar on all edges of the new tile to form a water tight seal. Apart from using mortar, you can also use RT-600 tile roof sealer for the same purpose.
References
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-repair-tile-roof-3917296.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_4597456_repair-concrete-roof-tile.html
http://www.practicalpressure.com/How_to_Repair_a_Tile_Roof.htm