Tile Roof Leaking but the Tiles Look Fine? Lift-and-Relay in Westlake

A lot of the tile roof calls I get from Westlake start the same way: “There’s a stain on the ceiling, but I had someone look and the tiles are fine.” Both things can be true. On most leaking clay and concrete tile roofs, the tile isn’t the problem at all. The layer underneath it is.

I’m Blake Snow. I’ve been roofing for 30 years, I’m the third generation in a family roofing business that goes back 75 years, and our crews have completed over $80 million in roofing projects. Here’s how I explain tile roofing leaks to homeowners in Westlake, Southlake and Colleyville, and what the fix usually looks like.

The tile is the rain shield. The underlayment is the roof.

Clay and concrete tile are tough, and well-made tile can outlast the house. But tile isn’t sealed together. Water gets between and under the pieces in every heavy rain, and it’s the underlayment on the deck below that carries that water down to the eaves and keeps it out of your attic.

That underlayment lives a hard life. It sits in the heat under the tile every summer, it has nails and batten fasteners poking through it, and on older roofs it’s often plain felt. Over time it dries out, gets brittle and cracks, usually along the batten lines and around fasteners. The tile above can look brand new the whole time. That’s why a quick look from a ladder often misses the real problem.

Signs your tile roof’s underlayment is worn out

• Ceiling or wall stains with no broken tile anywhere near them
• Leaks that show up only in long, hard rains or wind-driven rain
• Stains near valleys, chimneys, walls or skylights, where flashing meets the underlayment
• More than one leak, or leaks that come back after a “repair”
• An older roof that’s never had the underlayment replaced
• Brittle, cracked or crumbling felt when a few tiles are lifted

The last one is the real test. We lift a few tiles in the problem areas, look at what’s under them, and photograph it. Every inspection comes with a free digital photo report, so you see exactly what we saw instead of taking anyone’s word for it.

Repair, lift-and-relay or full replacement?

There are really three options, and the right one depends on what’s under the tile.

A spot repair makes sense when the underlayment is still in good shape and the leak traces to one thing: a few cracked or slipped tiles, a pipe flashing, or one valley. We fix that and leave the rest alone.

A lift-and-relay is the usual answer when the underlayment is worn out but the tile is sound. Our tile roof repair and reset page walks through it, but here’s the short version:

1. Inspect and photograph the roof, including under tiles in the problem areas.
2. Take the tile off by hand, sort it and stack it, setting aside broken pieces.
3. Strip the old underlayment, battens and flashings down to the deck.
4. Repair or replace any soft or rotted decking while it’s open.
5. Install new underlayment, new flashings at valleys, walls and penetrations, and new battens.
6. Reset your original tile, replacing broken pieces with matches, and rebuild the hips, ridges and eave closures.

You keep the look of your home, and the waterproofing under it starts over.

A full replacement is the call when the tile itself is the problem: lots of cracked, spalled or badly worn pieces, a profile that can’t be matched, or an owner who wants a different look. On a Mediterranean or Spanish-style home, that might mean new clay tile or concrete tile. If the house can’t carry tile weight, stone-coated steel gives a tile look in steel.

Matching tile on Westlake and Southlake estates

Matching is often the hardest part of tile work. Profiles get discontinued, and clay and concrete both change color in the Texas sun. Before I quote a relay, I want to know how we’ll replace the tiles that break along the way. Some breakage happens on every relay, no matter how careful the crew is.

We source matches from the original maker, such as Westlake Royal, Eagle or Ludowici, or from salvage stock when a tile is no longer made. A good trick on a big roof is to use the closest matches on the front and save the harder-to-match pieces for slopes you don’t see from the street.

What to look for in a tile roof quote

Tile roofs punish crews that only know shingles. Tile cracks when it’s walked on in the wrong spot, and a crew can create the damage it came to fix. Here’s what I’d ask anyone who quotes your tile roof:

• Did you look under the tile? A quote written from the ground or a ladder is a guess.
• What underlayment are you installing, and how many layers? It should be one the tile maker allows on your roof’s pitch.
• Are you replacing the flashings? Reusing old valley and wall flashing under new underlayment is how a “fixed” roof leaks again.
• How will you handle broken tile? The scope should say where replacement tile comes from.
• What about the decking? Ask how soft or rotted decking will be handled once it’s exposed.
• Who’s walking the roof? You want a crew that’s worked on tile before.

HOA and permit steps in Westlake

Many Westlake neighborhoods, including Vaquero, have architectural guidelines that control roofing materials and colors, and a lot of the homes there have Mediterranean, French or Hill Country exteriors with tile roofs. A lift-and-relay puts your original tile back on, so the finished roof should look the same. Even so, check with your architectural committee before work starts, especially if some replacement tile will be needed.

The Town of Westlake requires contractors to register, and permits are submitted through the Town’s online MyGov system. If you’re in Trophy Club, Keller or Roanoke, the steps are different, so ask us what your city needs.

Hail and tile roofs

North Texas hail can crack and chip tile, and cracked tiles let water reach the underlayment faster, which can turn an aging underlayment into an active leak. After a storm, get the roof looked at by someone who knows tile. We document cracked and broken tile piece by piece, along with anything we find underneath, so you and your adjuster can see it. Our storm damage page covers the rest.

In Texas you generally have one year from the date of loss to file a claim, but check your own policy, since some differ. Get the roof inspected first, and only file if the inspection finds real damage.

Get your tile roof looked at

If you’ve got a stain on the ceiling and a tile roof that “looks fine,” let us look under it. Our Rhome office is about 18 road miles from Westlake, and we work on tile roofs in Westlake, Southlake, Colleyville, Trophy Club and across the area. Request a free inspection or call (817) 733-9228.