Exploring Tile Roofing Installation in North Huntingdon Township Pennsylvania?
Our roofers will go over weight, framing and freeze-thaw in plain words, and how tile compares with slate and shingles
Phone 412-858-8858 before you choose a profile or a color
A Heavy, Handsome Roof in Cold Country, Then Style
Most roofs in this area are shingle, so a tile roof is a choice that calls for a few extra questions; ask next whether the tile is made for freezing weather.
Both clay and concrete are hard, heavy and fireproof, but they behave differently in the weather; a sample in your hand tells you more than a brochure.
Anyone weighing Tile Roofing Installation should begin with the house, since the framing sets what the roof can carry; ask about the structure before anything else.
Can the House Carry Tile: Checking the Bones
A tile roof is a heavy roof, and the weight sits on rafters that were designed for something lighter on many older houses; a house built for slate may already be strong enough.
A deep layer of dense Pittsburgh snow adds real load to a roof that is already heavy with tile; a steeper slope sheds snow more readily.
Until the structure has been checked, nothing else about Tile Roofing Installation can be settled; ask what the answer means for the schedule.
Tile That Is Made for Winter, Season After Season
A little water soaks into any tile, and if that water freezes inside the tile it expands and can crack the surface; a poor choice can flake, spall or crack within a few winters.
Tiles that look the same can behave very differently in frost, so the quality of the product matters a great deal; samples of the product can be asked for.
Frost resistance is a central question for Tile Roofing Installation in this part of the country; take your time over this step.
Underlayment, Battens and Fasteners: the Parts You Never See
Tile sheds water but does not seal the roof, so the underlayment below it does the waterproofing; the deck must be dry, flat and sound before any layer goes on.
Tiles are fastened by hand to a set schedule, and the method has to hold against wind and gravity; ridgelines and hilltops take the strongest wind.
- Roof edges at the rake take handwork and patience from the crew.
- The ridge pieces and closures should be chosen to last as long as the roof.
Any bid for Tile Roofing Installation should list what goes under the tile as clearly as it names the tile itself; compare the lists when you compare proposals.
Profiles, Colors and the Look of the House, and How to Choose
A flat tile has a slim, tailored look, while a barrel or curved profile casts deeper shadows and a bolder line; a roof with many hips and valleys needs a shape that can be cut cleanly.
Reddish clay and slate-colored concrete are common choices, and tile can also be blended for a mixed look; take your time over the choice.
Looks are a big part of why people choose Tile Roofing Installation, so the profile and color should fit the whole building; trust your eye, then check the details.
Slate, Shingle or Tile: a Fair Comparison
Next to shingle, tile is heavy, though some natural slate is heavier, so the house may already be built for something like it; asphalt is lighter, goes on faster and is simpler to repair.
The effort of a tile roof is front-loaded into the design, the framing and the installation, after which it can sit quietly; compare lifetimes as well as the first outlay.
A fair look at Tile Roofing Installation sets it beside slate, metal and shingle on weight, upkeep and fit; decide with the whole picture in front of you.
Living With Tile: Care and Repair
A cracked tile is a future leak, and walking on cold, brittle tile breaks it easily; a prompt repair keeps the underlayment dry.
Snow can slide off tile in slabs, breaking tiles below it or landing on whatever sits under the eaves; mention any doors or steps below the roof edge.
Upkeep after Tile Roofing Installation is mostly clearing debris, checking for cracks and watching the flashing; look from the ground with binoculars after storms.
How a Tile Installation Goes: a Plain Account
The old roof comes off first, the deck is checked and repaired, and the crew sets up for handling heavy material; tile is delivered by truck and lifted to the roof by conveyor or crane.
Tiles go on from the eave upward in courses, cut at hips and valleys and fastened to the schedule for the roof; you should see the roof as it develops and ask questions along the way.
Partial Jobs and Mixed Rooflines: What Gets Complicated
Existing tile can sometimes be lifted, kept and re-laid, which is worth asking about before the old roof goes to the dump; a roofer should tell you early what can and cannot be matched.
Any plan for Tile Roofing Installation on an older home should say how the odd spots will be handled; a drawing of the roof plan helps everyone.
A Short List for Tile: Worth Writing Down
- What did you find when you looked at my roof, and is it in the proposal?
- Can I see a data sheet for the tile you suggest, and how is it replaced?
- What flashing goes around the chimney and valleys, and what is the next step?
Let Us Look at Your House: We Can Help
A tile roof is a long commitment, and the questions are worth asking before anything is ordered; bring your questions and any photographs of the house.
Reach us at 412-858-8858 to start a conversation about Tile Roofing Installation for your house; a first conversation is about fit, not a sale.
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