Cracked tile repair
Damaged tiles are swapped for tiles of the same profile and color and fastened to resist wind.
Tile Roofing
Tile Roof Repair Cranford, NJ
A Cranford tile roofer can repair clay and concrete tile roofs one section at a time, from a single cracked tile to relaying the tile over a leaking valley. One call to (908) 562-6887 reaches a nearby tile roof repair pro.
The tiles on top are only half of what keeps a tile roof dry. Tiles shed the bulk of the water and block the sun, while the underlayment beneath them handles the rain that blows under the laps and runs down the deck.
The repairs a tile roof needs are fairly predictable. Broken tiles from people walking the roof or from falling branches, tiles that slid down after a fastener failed and ridge caps with crumbling mortar make up most calls.
Tile breaks easily under a misplaced foot, so walking a tile roof to look for damage often causes more damage than it finds, and wet tile is slippery as well. Note where stains show inside, whether the leak follows wind-driven rain and whether the tile is clay or concrete, flat or curved, since that helps the roofer bring matching tile.
Many tile roof repair calls in Cranford also turn up a need for tile roof replacement or tile roof inspection.
Dealing with this in Cranford, NJ right now? Call (908) 562-6887 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a tile roof repair
The work is careful by nature, since every step on the roof is a chance to crack a tile.
Look before walking
The first look happens from the ground, a ladder and the attic so foot traffic stays where it is needed. On the roof, weight goes on the lower part of each tile where it overlaps the one below, or on foam pads that spread the load.
Find the entry point
Water travels on the underlayment before it gets in, so the roofer removes a few tiles around the suspect area to find torn felt, rusted flashing or a nail hole.
Replace broken tiles
The roofer removes broken pieces, lifts the overlapping course and fastens a matching replacement tile in the same position. Finding a match can take some searching when a profile has been discontinued, and salvaged tile often fills the gap.
Secure shifted tiles
A tile that slipped is set back on its batten and secured with a clip or a fresh fastener.
Repair the underlayment
When the leak comes from worn underlayment, the roofer relays that area: tiles off, new underlayment and flashing, tiles back on. It is the repair that saves an older tile roof from a full replacement when only part of the underlayment has failed.
What is included
Common tile roof repairs
Valley repair
Valleys are cleared and their metal liners repaired which handles leaks the tiles cannot stop.
Hip cap rebedding
Cracked ridge mortar is replaced and caps are reset which keeps rain out of the ridge line.
Slipped tile reset
Shifted tiles are reset in their rows before they fall or let water in.
Underlayment repair
Worn underlayment is replaced under a section of tile that is then relaid to stop leaks at the real source.
Related service
Clay Tile Roof Repair Cranford, NJ
Fired clay tile holds its color and strength for a very long time, which makes it worth repairing rather than replacing. The weak point is impact: clay tile cracks under a careless step or a dropped limb.
For clay tile repair in Cranford, matching the profile, size and color is half the work. When a profile is out of production, salvaged tile or tiles borrowed from an out-of-sight area fill in on the visible slopes.
Related service
Concrete Tile Roof Repair Cranford, NJ
Concrete tile is heavier and more porous than clay, and it ages in its own way. Over the years the surface finish wears off, the color fades and the tile absorbs more water, which feeds moss and adds weight.
In Cranford, concrete tile repairs tend to focus on broken tiles and on underlayment that has aged under them. Cleaning should be gentle, because high pressure water wears away the surface of concrete tile.
Related service
Tile Roof Leak Repair Cranford, NJ
When a tile roof leaks, the real failure is usually in the underlayment, a valley or a flashing, with the tiles only part of the story. The usual sources are worn underlayment, valley flashing that has rusted through, debris dams in valleys and flashing at walls, skylights and vent pipes. Many tile roof leaks only appear in storms with strong wind, which drive water under the tile.
For a tile roof leak in Cranford, the roofer works back from the ceiling stain to the spot where water first gets under the tile. Until the repair, catch drips in a bucket and keep water away from electrical fixtures, switching off that circuit at the panel if it is safe to do so.
Local help
Tile Roof Repair Near Me
In Cranford, tile roofs show up on older homes with clay tile and on newer builds topped with concrete tile. The tile itself often outlasts the underlayment beneath it, so many repairs on older roofs in Cranford and nearby towns like Garwood, Westfield, Kenilworth and Roselle Park involve work under sound tile rather than new tile alone. Having a roofer look over the tile after a major storm, or before a roof reaches its third decade, keeps small repairs from becoming a full relay.
Need tile roof repair around Cranford? Call (908) 562-6887 for a Cranford roofer who serves the towns around it too.
Roofs in this climate
Winters here are long and cold, with snow on the roof for weeks at a time and plenty of nights below freezing. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. That is why roof repair in Cranford is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Cranford
Roofers in Cranford know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Tile Roof Repair questions
Is it possible to replace just a few broken tiles?
A roofer can swap out single tiles by lifting the course above and sliding a new tile into place. Each replacement is secured with a fastener, clip or adhesive suited to the roof.
Can I walk on my tile roof to check it?
Stepping on tile is the most common way tiles get broken. Even experienced roofers step only on the overlapped edges and sometimes crack a tile anyway. Wet or mossy tile is also slick, so never climb onto a tile roof after rain or in a storm.
Should I repair or replace my tile roof?
The answer depends mostly on the underlayment. A few cracked tiles or one leaking flashing point to a repair. Once the underlayment is worn out across the roof, a full relay or replacement is the better plan. Call (908) 562-6887 to talk it through with a roofer.
How long does a tile roof last?
Clay tile can last for generations, and concrete tile commonly lasts many decades. What wears out first is the underlayment, often after a few decades, depending on its type.
Why does my tile roof leak when the tiles look fine?
Water gets under tile in every heavy storm, and the underlayment carries it off. When that underlayment dries out, tears or rots after decades, water that slips under the tiles reaches the deck. Flashing at valleys, walls and pipes is the other usual suspect.
More questions? Call (908) 562-6887
Other services that may help
Tile Roof Replacement
Replacing a worn tile roof, either by relaying the existing tile over new underlayment or by switching to new tile, so the layers under the tile last as long as the tile.
Learn moreTile Roof Inspection
Tile roof inspections that count broken and slipped tiles, check the layers beneath and estimate how much life is left, with a written report of what needs attention now and what can wait.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Leak repairs that fix the entry point, not just the ceiling stain, so the stain on the ceiling stops growing.
Learn moreFlashing Repair
Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof edges, with new metal instead of another layer of caulk.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Cranford roofer about tile roof repair
Call (908) 562-6887 to talk to a roofer serving Cranford, NJ.