Is it Normal for Tiles to Be Falling Off My Roof?

No! It's not normal. Tile roofs are made to last 40-50 years. So if you notice some tiles falling off your roof, there's a problem.

And we'll get into the 3 problems that cause tiles to fall off. But first, we want to stress that you should get those missing tiles replaced ASAP. Missing roof tiles leave your home vulnerable to water damage.

How Missing Roof Tiles Lead to Serious Leaks

Tiles protect the roofs' waterproofing barrier, the underlayment, from the elements, like the sun (an especially harsh element in Phoenix) and underlayment exposed directly to the sun's harmful UV rays will quickly deteriorate. Deteriorated underlayment from a cracked and tile on your roof. Once it's deteriorated, there's nothing stopping water from getting into your home and causing serious damage!

Related: How to Inspect Your AZ Tile Roof for Problems

3 Common Reasons Tiles Fall Off Your Roof

Shoddy Installation

How tile is attached to your roof depends on the slope of the roof, the manufacturer of the tile and the type of tile installed. It could be that when your tile roof was installed, it wasn't installed as it should have been. If your home or tile roof is new (less than 10 years old), this is the most likely cause.

What to do: If your roof is still under warranty, contact the builder, installer or roofing manufacturer. They should be able to make it right.

If you're outside of the warranty period, contact a trusted roofer to fix the missing tiles and make sure there aren't any other problems with your roof. (Most new homes come with a 2-year warranty).

Related: Top 7 Questions You Should Ask an Arizona Roofer Before Hiring Them

Walking on Your Roof

When you walk on a tile roof, you can crack the tiles and/or cause them to work loose from the nails that hold them to the roof. If you have a clay tile roof, you should never walk on it! Clay tiles crack easily. Concrete tile is more forgiving, but you still need to be careful.

What to do: Replace the missing tiles on your roof and avoid walking on the roof more in the future.

Extreme Weather

Most Arizona tile roofs aren't built to withstand extreme weather; we just don't get that much of it. So when it does happen, the extreme wind can catch a tile and blow it off the roof. Tiles on the ridge and eaves of the roof are especially susceptible to wind.

What to do: Contact a professional roofer to assess the damage of the roof. Even though it might just look like a few missing tiles, there could be more damage than you can see.

Need a Phoenix or Tucson Roofer?

Need your roof checked out by a professional roofer? Contact us today! We have convenient locations in both Phoenix and Tucson.

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