How much movement should there be in roof tiles?

[Mr. Clueless]

I am petrified of heights but my wife doesn't mind having a go & the fascia boards needed a painting.

The only way on to the extension roof is either from the side with a ladder (& ours isn't long enough) or out of the back bedroom window.

So as she's stepping out she feels a couple of tiles loose (they are tiles too, not slate) & moving under her feet so she gave up as she didn't want to cause any damage.

I had a feel out of the window with just my hand & the tiles to the left & right of these two are fairly solid. It's just the immediate ones you end up stepping out on to - they move.

Also the lead flashing that is on that roof which comes up against the house - this moves also. Having never touched flashing before, should it be moving freely? I don't mean it blows in the wind kind of thing but it moves quite easy by hand, though there's no leaks below.

 

[noseall]

Lead flashings can be easily lifted as can tiles because they are only fixed at the top.

Plain tiles can be easily broken and should not be walked upon. Care should also be taken when putting your weight on concrete interlocking tiles because the gutter corners can easily snap off.

 

[Mr. Clueless]

Gutter corners? I'll assume this is part of the tile & not any tiles that are located near guttering? Or is it as the name suggests - tiles near guttering?

If the tiles that were left in the shed are anything to go by then the tiles on that roof are Redland Mini Stonewold.

I would've thought that they should (i use should loosely) be ok to walk on since if there was a fire for example then that window would be a fire escape (providing the fire isn't in that actual room! ).

Does it help with the possible name of the tile?

 

[chappers]

you should be ok to walk carefully on those and it sounds as if you have spares anyway.

 

[ajstoneservices]

I hope your wife knows how to land when falling from height.

 

[Mr. Clueless]

I hope your wife knows how to land when falling from height.

Are you trying to say the roof shouldn't be walked on or are you trying to say something else that i haven't been able to decipher?


Out of interest - this idea of tiles not good for walking on ... why doesn't the same apply to slate then? Roofers are up on slate roofs plenty enough, even tiled roofs really. So why is it such a bad idea then?

 

[chappers]

It does no tiles or slates are designed to be walked on and its always a chance walking on them.