| All Realtors in the Las Vegas area know that roofing issues are a common issues in a home inspection report. Many buyers become concerned when roofing issues arise, however most roofing issues are very common and are easy to handle. The more people know about concrete tiles roofing the easier it is to allay fears and make intelligent and informed decisions. |
| A Concrete Tile Roof is Not “Maintenance Free” They call it “the 50-year roof” when speaking of concrete tile roof. They can last a very long time. But they are not maintenance free. In fact, it is a common item that will have some sort level of maintenance recommendation in most home inspections. Periodic maintenance needs to be performed to keep the roof in a sound and leak-free condition. I’d like to give you some insight about concrete tile roofs as it pertains to home inspections. |
| Damaged Tiles The most common cause for damage to concrete tile roofing is the wind. The wind gets under the tiles causing them to shudder, shimmy, chip, and crack. Sometimes the wind can even move the tiles out of proper position. The majority of the roof tiles (the field tiles) are held in place with only one nail. Most homeowners do not know that concrete tiles do very little (if anything) to keep moisture out of the home. In fact they’re not water tight at all. The primary purpose of concrete tiles is to protect the waterproof material. Rolls of felt paper or “felt”, as it is known in the building industry is located under the tiles. The felt is petroleum impregnated and repels water. Oil and water do not mix, so the felt is what is keeping the water out. |
| Protecting the Felt Without the concrete tiles installed over the felt, the felt would be exposed to direct sunlight. Direct sunlight carries strong ultraviolet rays. UV rays cause the petroleum in the felt to evaporate. When the felt dries out from prolonged exposure to UV rays the felt then loses its ability to repel water and the potential for a leak is high. Concrete tiles protect the felt from the damaging ultraviolet rays and also act as an insulator. Makes sense to me. |
| Roofing issues in Conjunction with a Home Inspection First you need to know that the majority of homeowners never do the required recurring maintenance associated with a roof (I admit I don’t). It is extremely common for an inspector to find cracked or missing tiles or tiles out of proper position. I don’t think I have ever seen an inspection report that did not find 2-5 minor issues like this. This is fine and nothing to get overly concerned about. Chances are this will not contribute to a water intrusion issue. However, cracked or missing roof tiles is not an issue that should be ignored, either. If this issue arises on your inspection then it is very prudent to ask the seller to perform the required routine maintenance to the roof. And in my experience, most will agree to do it (or offer a credit for you to do it). It is extremely critical that this deferred maintenance be performed only by a licensed and qualified Roofing Contractor Regardless of whatever warranty the Roofing Contractor states he will honor the fact is the workmanship the contractor provides carries with it a statutory warranty of one year. It is extremely important that the prospective homebuyer is provided with a copy of the repair invoice in order to be able to enjoy the statutory warranty benefits. |
| Repairs to Be Performed When a roofing contractor is retained the contractor should be directed to review the entire roof and all associated components and corrected as needed to restore the roof to a normal, sound condition. There are areas of the roof where vent pipes for plumbing, the furnace, the water heater, bathroom and laundry room fans penetrate the roof. These penetrations are sealed with mineral flashing, which is a “goopy” viscous product that is applied at the base of the penetrations. Mineral flashing is petroleum impregnated and repels water – just like felt. The mineral flashing is often exposed to direct ultraviolet rays from the sun, and it needs to be renewed periodically. When addressing cracked tiles it is important to understand that unless a concrete tile is cracked more than 25% of the face of the tile then the tile does not require replacement. It can be repaired with cement epoxy. If tile replacement is necessary, it’s important that the homebuyer understands that the contractor will attempt to match the color as closely as possible but an exact match is often not possible. In fact, the Nevada State Contractors Board allows for up to 10% of the tiles to have differing colorations., so do not expect an exact match when tiles are replaced. Generally, most Roofing Contractors will charge between $200 and $300 to perform the needed minor deferred maintenance. The cost can rise, of course, if additional issues are discovered. It is important that the Roofing Contractor also provide an assessment of any felt that has been exposed to ultraviolet rays. If you are preparing to sell your house, or if it has been a while since anyone qualified has looked at the roof, it’s a good idea to get it looked at. If you need a roofing referral, contact me, Jeff Howard, your Realtor for life! I have a lot of contacts to help you keep your home in top condition! Do you have a need for commercial/industrial/retail buildings or land? Are you ready to buy or sell a home? Do you want a guaranteed cash offer? We can help you with all of that… just call us at 702 SELL NOW or click on this link to my website http://www.702SellNow.com Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff |