Care and Upkeep of Tile Shingle Roofing for Your Home

What could be better than installing tile shingles on your roof? Shingle roof tiles are durable, known to last over a century. It is unusual for homeowners to ever experience any problems with tiles unless they were installed incorrectly or your contractor used cheap, low quality tiles.  While you will spend more initially for tile roof shingles, over time they pay for themselves and are quite cost-effective.

Roofs made from tile shingles come with many advantages besides providing a beautiful exterior.  Problems like moss and algae are nonexistent since they can’t eat through the tiles as easily as with a wood shake roof. Repairs for shingle tiles are not as urgent compared to other materials. Tile roof shingles are extensive to install, so it is easier to simply repair any damaged tiles than replacing the entire roof.

Here are a few ways to avoid any issues with your English roof tiles:

Fixing and Replacing Broken Tiles
Shingle tiles can sometimes break or become damaged from extreme weather conditions like high winds or large hail. Improper installation or from being walked on can also cause your shingle roof tiles to break. When working on a roof of tile shingles, work on planks or a roof ladder. Walking directly on the tiles will cause them to break.

If the roof begins to lose English roof tiles for no apparent reason, it may be the fault of the roofer. Perhaps, they used the wrong nails or they just did a poor job.  Relaying all the shingle tiles with the correct nails is the only answer. Tiles can also sometimes be repaired with silicon sealant or adhesive.

Cleaning Debris
As with any type of roof maintenance, keep any overhanging trees cut back. This reduces shade and debris, reducing the growth of moss and algae and the buildup of debris. To reduce the growth of moss, fit some copper wire net to the ridgeline.  Water running over the copper reduces the amount of moss growing below it.

Tile Matching
Matching tile shingles on an older roof is a challenging project. Roof tile suppliers can sometimes carry a large inventory of salvaged shingle tiles. This is usually your best option. If you can’t find a decent match, you can take tiles from a less visible section of the roof and fill in the damaged area.  You can also have custom tile shingles manufactured, but it is expensive and getting an exact match is never guaranteed.