Tom Parker, Owner, TCParker & Associates
It’s challenging to find something that brings homeowners more peace of mind than a sound roof over their heads. For hundreds of years, tile roofs have been considered the time-tested, ultimate roofing system.
A key concern with tile roofs is keeping the tile secure during wind events. Nothing illustrates this more clearly than the damage done by Hurricane Irma on Marco Island. Photo 1 (Click "Read more" to view in FRM) shows a mechanically fastened tile roof where tiles were lost in the wind event.
The damage is clear, as is the failure mode. Mechanical fasteners must be left a little “loose” or the tile will crack. In fact, inspectors will typically allow up to 1” of lift at the end of a mechanically fastened tile and still pass the job as meeting code. When the wind blows across the tile, it can lift the end of the tile, causing “chattering” to occur. As the chattering continues, the tiles are literally pried off of the roof, as seen in the ridge tiles hanging on at a 45 degree angle in the photo. Read more.