Chipped 1930s clay roof tiles

Driver23 · 26 Apr 2010

Hi,

Looking at a house built in the 1930s with a clay tiles roof. A few tiles are cracked and a valley leaking very slightly, so they need fixing. But this winter have also noticed a lot of chipping - noticeable as the bright red 'new' clay shows through the darker/weathered surface.

I guess it might have been the severe winter and freezing action, but the strange thing is, the neighbouring houses all built at the same time and same tiles don't seem to have this trouble. Any ideas what this might be? I was wondering if differences in insulation could be the reason?

Also, how much does it matter? I was thinking of fitting some bird guard or a wide/lipped gutter (which needs replacing anyway) to stop bits of tiles hitting people on the head - cheaper than an entire re-tile which I'm sure would be well into 5 figures. But are many more tiles now likely to crack completely in the next year or two?

Many thanks.

Cumbrianroofer30yrsexp · 26 Apr 2010

How many more tile are likley to crack?What will win next years grand national?How longs a piece of string.Impossible to say.Sounds to me like the tiles are just past their sell by date but without seeing its very hard to say.

datarebal · 26 Apr 2010

Clocks ticking

Cumbrianroofer30yrsexp · 26 Apr 2010

datarebal said:
Clocks ticking

Tick tock,tick tock

Driver23 · 27 Apr 2010

Okey dokey. Guess there's no easy answer without actually seeing it, thanks anyway.

(sorry, I don't understand the clock ticking reference

)

Alastairreid · 27 Apr 2010

meaning your roofs past its sell by date and needs renewing!

noseall · 27 Apr 2010

Plain clay tiles manufactured around a certain period are especially vulnerable to delamination.

If this is the case with yours then you better ring a roofer.

harleythedog · 6 May 2010

lay tiles roy from the underside. The surface was once glazed, and the damp and frost get into small fisuers (spolng??) and if you take one off from the gutter edge and turn it over,hey presto, no back. Ticking - Death, Taxes and Re-roofing cay tiled homes....inevitable.

noseall · 7 May 2010

harleythedog said:
lay tiles roy from the underside. The surface was once glazed, and the damp and frost get into small fisuers (spolng??) and if you take one off from the gutter edge and turn it over,hey presto, no back. Ticking - Death, Taxes and Re-roofing cay tiled homes....inevitable.

Eh?

Nige F · 9 May 2010

Driver23 said:
Hi,

Looking at a house built in the 1930s with a clay tiles roof. A few tiles are cracked and a valley leaking very slightly, so they need fixing. But this winter have also noticed a lot of chipping - noticeable as the bright red 'new' clay shows through the darker/weathered surface.

I guess it might have been the severe winter and freezing action, but the strange thing is, the neighbouring houses all built at the same time and same tiles don't seem to have this trouble. Any ideas what this might be? I was wondering if differences in insulation could be the reason?

Also, how much does it matter? I was thinking of fitting some bird guard or a wide/lipped gutter (which needs replacing anyway) to stop bits of tiles hitting people on the head - cheaper than an entire re-tile which I'm sure would be well into 5 figures. But are many more tiles now likely to crack completely in the next year or two?

Many thanks.

Got the same on my roof

and it was quite bad this winter . :

Driver23 · 18 Jun 2010

A builder came round the other day, experienced, has about 10 employed staff, he said to paint the whole lot with PVA. Sounds too simple to me. I appreciate PVA would go into the tile and help bond/waterproof it but not convinced how long that would last - would have thought it might degrade under UV rays in a year or two? Still, a very cheap solution if it works.

The problem is worse on the south facing slope which is where there would be maximum and fastest difference between heat/cold. I accept the roof is pretty old (30's) but replacing the whole roof with all hand made clay tiles would cost... a lot. I suspect it 'might' well last another 20 years if we don't get too many severe winters, but appreciate that a surveyor would probably give it a 5 year life expectancy (don't they always?!)

Thanks for all the input, much appreciated.

Might just have to PVA it and wear hard hats while on the patio

Cumbrianroofer30yrsexp · 18 Jun 2010

Take no notice,pva is a complete waste of time,botch job/cowboy job as im sure everyone on here will confirm.You might as well save your money than do that,honestly.Either re-roof or replace the defective tiles,anything else is money down the drain.Bit of advice,get a builder for building work and a roofer for roofing work.

Driver23 · 18 Jun 2010

"get a builder for building work and a roofer for roofing"

Ha! aka 'specialise or die'.

Alastairreid · 18 Jun 2010

Driver23 said:
A builder came round the other day, experienced, has about 10 employed staff, he said to paint the whole lot with PVA. Sounds too simple to me.

Load of rubbish

Zeberdee · 19 Jun 2010

A picture of the roof would be a godsend!!!

The info you've gave the forum suggests a new roof would be the perfect solution.....However I'm feeling thats a path you dont really want to go down?!?!?!?!?!?

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Chipped 1930s clay roof tiles

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