5 Reasons You Need an Expert to Install Your Tile Roof

Considering a tile roofing project? Whether it's for a new construction or a re-roof of your existing home, your roof deserves the best labor and materials. Here are five reasons you should choose an expert tile roofing installer for your residential roofing project.

Different roofing materials have different weights, and a house that's built to support an asphalt shingle roof may not necessarily have the structure needed to safely install a heavier roof of clay or concrete tile. You'll need an experienced contractor to accurately calculate whether your home has enough structural support for the roof you're planning to install. Average asphalt shingles may weigh around 2 pounds per square foot, while clay tile could weigh over seven times that much: up to 15 pounds per square foot. In some cases, the structural support may need to be increased before installing the roof. This can be done by reinforcing the roof framing. It's more expensive, but it's better than having your roof collapse later.

Clay or concrete tile installation isn't identical to asphalt shingle installation. If you hire a contractor who only has experience with asphalt shingles, you increase the chances of installation issues. And if you hire someone who isn't even a roofing expert at all, you compound the chances for problems with the install. Some easy rookie mistakes to make here include:

• Improper overlap. If the tiles aren't overlapped enough, they can't provide protection from the elements.
• Sloppy or incorrect mortar application. Since mortar isn't typically used on asphalt shingles, some general roofing contractors aren't experts with mortar.
• Installing the roof in the wrong weather. Good weather conditions are important with tile roofing.

Long experience with tile roofing can allow your contractor to easily avoid rookie errors like these.

If you choose an experienced contractor, you'll be able to make use of their resources anytime you need repairs. That means not just their expertise and repair skills but also the tile materials needed. If you buy your own materials, even if you buy extra for future repairs, you can't predict how many you'll need or get them to match when your roof has faded in the sun. However, a contractor with connections in the industry can access a boneyard that contains hundreds or thousands of different tile products, increasing your chances of getting the materials needed for repairs in a similar shade to your roof.

One common error with the flashing and boots around roof vents is incorrect lapping. One layer of flashing around each vent should overlap the roof tiles on the downhill side and should be overlapped in turn by the tiles on the uphill side. Not only that, but the underlayment has to be lapped correctly over and under the lower flashing in a similar manner or leaks will form. Another issue is that different types of flashing are required for tile roofing than for asphalt shingles. (The two layers of flashing required around vents are one example.) You want to make sure you have a contractor who knows this and who is familiar with the flashing requirements and expert at following them.

It's just common sense that if you make your roof a DIY job, you won't have any warranty on labor. And you can easily void the manufacturer warranty on the tile during installation if you're not experienced. The same goes for a handyman or general roofer who's not experienced with tile; they could accidentally void manufacturer warranty. If you hire an experienced tile roofing company, you can get the best warranty on labor as well as expert workmanship that will leave the roofing manufacturer warranty intact. These are just five of the reasons why you should choose an experienced tile roof installer such as Cal Roofing Systems Inc. for all your tile roofing projects. Give us a call today to get started.