Tile come off

[Simon T]

Had a tile come off my roof last weekend, think it must have come loose during the high winds we had the other week, then last Saturday it decided to slide down the roof and perch on the gutter (the sound of it scraping down the roof being what alerted me to the problem).

Fortunately, I was able to grab it before it fell from its precarious position and today managed to get up there and put it back in place.

However, what's troubling me is why did that one paricular tile come loose?

Having put it back, it seems no less sturdy than any of the other tiles around it.

Should I be worried at the next high wind again?

Silly questions I know, but this is the first time this has happened to me in the various homes I've lived in over the last 20 years or so.

Thanks in adavance.

Best Wishes Simon T

[newshound]

It would help to know what type of tile and the age of the roof (or house, if it is relatively new).

[Simon T]

Here's a piccy I took last week of the hole

House is about 21 years old, I've lived here about 10.

[Tim Watts]

Small overlap on those tiles (I have the same pattern but I'm sure my tiles are taller and have a significant overlap).

You could add a nail to that tile if the course above is not nailed (use aluminium nails and be gentle!)

[dennis]

You just slide the tiles above up, put a new tile on and slide them down again.

There isn't normally any nails.

[Andy Burns]

Every third row is nailed here. the others slide up (with some difficulty) I'd be pretty surprised if one of mine moved by itself.

[Brian Reay]

Could be no more than being in just the right place for a 'gust' to do the job.

Depending on the type/style it may only have been held by 'tabs' over a battern and the weight of the next row. Others have nails. Some both, our last house had both as I recall. I've seen clips used on slate style tiles in France but not seen them here but I've not actively looked.

I think we've lost 3 in about 40 years- all in the same night (1987). One survived falling 3 floors (town house) and landed edge on in the lawn- missing me by feet. Two shattered. They didn't come from the same part of the roof.

You really need to check the mounting. If the battern is sound etc., refit (which can be fiddly), and don't worry. You generally have to push a few tiles up, fit the missing one, nail if needed, pull the displaced tiles back. Wear gloves.

Will it happen again? Perhaps but, unless there is a problem, its neighbour is just as likely to come off next time.

[FMurtz]

In Australia we might blame possums.

[harry]

You don't say if the tile is damaged or not. If not, the tile above it can be pushed up and it can be put back. If damaged you'll need a new one. Common sort of tile easily obtained. In windy situations, alternate rows of tiles are nailed. In sheltered situations, maybe every fourth row.

[Brian Reay]

I get squirrels on the roof, not in it, but they would need to do some serious weight lifting sessions to move our tiles, which are huge clay wavy beasts.

We once rented a Gite (cottage if you don't use the term) in France and there was a note explaining that, if you heard 'little foot steps' in the bedrooms, it was pine martins in the loft. We heard the but never say one. I think a pine martin is like a ferret. Our daughters were still young at the time and loved it.

[Tim Watts]

Rubbish.

Every x-th course is nailed, every 3rd is typical.

[dennis]

So only a 33% chance of a nail then, assuming any at all. Like I said then

[Harry Bloomfield]

Simon T wrote on 03/02/2018 :

Not very much overlap there at all. My roof has three thicknesses of tile over the entire roof. Loose one tile and it would make absolutely no difference to weather ingress.

Lucky you spotted it in time to prevent major damage.

[dennis]

Modern roofs don't rely on the tiles for weatherproofing. The sarking underneath is what makes them weather proof, the tiles are there to protect the sarking.

You could take all the tiles of my roof and as long as you put them back in a few weeks/months nothing bad will happen baring a huricane.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Dennis is correct. 'Isn't normally any nails' aqples to a singlular nail. There are always more than one

[Tim Watts]

Those pantile style tiles don't have 3 overlaps - but it should be more than shown...

[harry]

Rats more likely.

[Fredxx]

What roof have you got?

A standard tiled roof will always have nails, normally aluminium, sometimes copper. Every few rows according to pitch.

People like you continually providing duff information give Usenet a bad name.

[Rob Morley]

A few weeks back the wind picked up a builder's bag next door and thrashed it around, creating a few bits of broken tile (I don't think any of them were ours, from what I could see they slid into our drive from next door's roof).

[Bill Wright]

Those tiles have to be nailed. So, no nail? Also, they have a lip that hooks over the battens. Sometimes that lip gets knocked off but the roofer still uses the tile. If a tile is slightly proud due to a bit of mortar or whatever stuck under it, the wind will get in and lift it.

Bill