Can cracked roof tiles be repaired or do they need replacing?

04 Mar Can cracked roof tiles be repaired or do they need replacing?

Cracked roof tiles ideally need to be replaced on a like-for-like basis to maintain the weatherproofing of the roof and its appearance.

However as a short term solution where you do not have access to a fresh tile, you can repair the cracked tile with roofing cement or silicone caulking. This is only a temporary solution though and you really should have the cracked tile replaced as soon as possible.

Replacing roof tiles is thankfully a simple enough job. However if you are not used to working at height, then you should definitely ask a roofer to carry out the repair for you.

We carry out hundreds of tile replacements in the Leeds area every year and generally speaking this is a twenty minute job for a job professional. However care has to be taken to ensure a safe working platform and ideally, the tile replacement needs to be made when the weather is dry.

Most roofs nowadays are constructed from interlocking tiles and these are usually made from concrete. The sides of the tiles interlock creating a watertight joint. Concrete tiles are hardwearing which is why they are very popular. Sudden changes in temperature however have been known to damage concrete tiles and over time as the concrete degrades, minor splits can occur which can grow into larger cracks. A cracked roof tile is not a watertight one so it’s always best practice to replace the broken tile with a new one.

Another common tile on roofs are plain tiles. These do not interlock and instead they are overlapped twice like a traditional roofing slate. This makes them watertight. As with the interlocking type mentioned above, most plain tiles are made from concrete however clay tiles are not uncommon. Plain tiles are very common on Victorian properties, although back then plain tiles were usually made from slate, or specifically Welsh slate. To make a repair to a plain-tiled roof, you first need to ascertain what material the tiles are made from.

In terms of sourcing tiles, any competent roofer will be able to source a suitable replacement. If you live in an older property or a listed building, it may even be possible to find a tile from the same period from a reclamation yard.

If you live in the Leeds area and you need a tile or a couple of tiles replacing, give us a call on 0113 293 4038 to speak with a member of our friendly roofing team.