Tile Roof Installation in St. Petersburg, FL

Mainly how they’re made. Concrete tile is made from sand, cement, water and iron oxide, while clay tile is fired at very high temperatures that strengthen the clay. Both earn the highest fire rating as a product and as an installed system, and Mitchell Roofing Company installs both on Florida homes.

The underlayment, not the tile. A Tile Roofing Industry Alliance expert writing for Eagle Roofing says the tiles will outlast the house, but the long-term performance of the underlayment beneath them determines the roof’s life cycle. Broken or missing tiles speed that up by exposing the underlayment to sun and water.

With nails, screws, foam adhesive or mortar, sized to the home’s design wind pressures. The FRSA-TRI Florida High Wind tile manual, referenced in the Florida residential code, adds fasteners to adhesive-set tile on slopes steeper than 6:12, and foam adhesive systems need Florida Product Approval. Tile roofs can be designed for winds up to 200 mph.

No. The Florida Building Code doesn’t allow a new roof covering over existing clay or concrete tile, so the old tile must be removed down to the deck before re-roofing. The same rule applies to slate, wood shake and roofs that already have two layers.

Sometimes. Eagle Roofing says that when the underlayment is the only problem, a lift and re-lay can be a viable fix: the tiles are lifted, new underlayment goes down, and the same tiles go back on. Whether it works depends on the condition of the tiles and the roof.