Tile residential roofing is long-lasting and attractive. Your tile roof may not need many repairs over the course of its life, but if it develops a leak, repairs should be done promptly. A tile roof might leak when a tile is cracked badly enough that rain seeps through the crack and gets on the deck. Here's a look at how a residential roofing contractor can make repairs.

Decide If The Tile Needs To Be Replaced

The first step is to locate the damaged tile causing the roof leak and then to decide if the tile has to be replaced. Tiles can often be repaired, so replacing a cracked tile might not be necessary. One reason to avoid replacing the tile if possible is so you don't run into problems with mismatched colors between your old tiles and the new ones.

If your tile roof is old, the roofing contractor might look for reclaimed tile that has aged and looks more like your other tiles than a brand new tile would. If it's not possible to find a reclaimed tile, the roofing contractor might take an old tile from your roof in an inconspicuous place and use it to replace the damaged tile. A new tile that doesn't match very well could then be installed in the place where it is less likely to be seen.

Repair The Cracked Tile

A cracked clay tile can be repaired with sealant. Clay tile sealant comes in different colors so you can find a good match for your tiles. The sealant is placed over the crack and allowed to cure and then it keeps rain from leaking through the crack. It's important to use a sealant made for tile roofs so the sealant can withstand the hot conditions on top of a roof that's in full sun all day.

The sealant can even be used to put small pieces of crumbled tile back in place. If the leak hasn't caused damage to the deck, this type of residential roofing repair is fairly easy since the old tile doesn't have to be torn off to repair it.

If the leak has gone on too long, the deck under the clay tiles might be wet and rotted. In that case, several tiles may need to come off so the deck can be replaced. Once the deck has been restored, the old tiles can be put back on the roof along with the repaired one. The roofer needs to make sure the tiles aren't cracked or damaged when being removed and put back on. If any of the tiles crack, they should be repaired right away so the new deck doesn't get wet.

Reach out to a residential roofing professional for more information.