The elements and Your Tile Roof

Pollution, floating pollens, airborne spores and residual debris are a great food source for moss. All of these catalysts have the destructive capacity of absorbing and holding water. Shaded areas such as overhanging branches, roofing and walls are all perfect breading grounds for moss to grow.  The Northern facing surfaces of roofing generally get the least amount of the sun and in turn will take longer for moisture or dew to evaporate or run off. Moss creates an additional problem with its root system by compounding the deterioration process further causing the tile to pit and crack.  Eventually, your roof will just leak and most likely cause damage inside of your home until its repaired or replaced.

 Wind is really not a problem in Southern California, unless the roof was not constructed properly.  Most manufacturers have limits of liability on there products if the wind speed is above 50 +/- knots, before the warranties would expire.  If the Tile strips haven’t sealed properly, the winds could cause rain to be driven and penetrate your roof by blowing water under the roofs each individual Tile piece.  A heavy wind could also blow the rain directly under your valleys, flashing, ridge vents, skylights and siding.  The initial construction of your roof or the quality of the roofing product itself is generally the largest considerations here.  In newer built homes, the Tile roofing will have sub-roofing, which would actually end up being the main moisture barrier that protects you and your belongings.  The integrity of this sub-roofing is more important than the Tile roofing itself, making the need for continued maintenance and repairs necessary. 

Sun on the other hand is a serious threat to your roof.  The sun and its powerful UV radiation can bake the life right out of your roof.  Consider that on a hot summer’s day the roofs temperature can reach as high as 180 degrees Fahrenheit.  The sun will cause the Tile to become uneven and very brittle from the heat. This makes sealing the tile with a UV resistant acrylic sealer an important step in prolonging the life of your roof.   

Why you should care!

 In my time working with homeowners I get people who really don’t care that they have a discolored, dirty, moss afflicted roof! So aside from the issue of your homes appearance, I will share some other issues concerning moss and concrete tile roofs. Your roof is meant to reflect the sun and its UV rays as well as repel any moisture or rain that occurs. When moss is present, your roof simply cannot do its job. What I mean is your roof is holding in heat and increasing your energy costs in the summer. Moss also holds moisture from the rain allowing roots to further break down your tile roof. Your concrete tile is very porous and the moss gets in those pores and makes them larger with time, breaking down the integrity of your roof. This can cause tiles to crack, which you will have to have replaced by a roofing company for a hefty price. Even worse if you can’t see that your tile has cracked because the moss is covering it up, or you it’s out of view, a leak could occur. Needless to say this can get very expensive, if water has gotten into your house that means it has penetrated your sub-roofing. Bad news! Now you are giving mold a chance to form in your house, which poses a health hazard to you and your family. What we do at Precision Roof Cleaning, LLC is preventative maintenance, we offer our services for about 1/16 of the price of a new tile roof, and about 1/4 of the cost to repair your roof. Precision Roof Cleaning, LLC not only enhances the appearance of your home; we help save you time and money as well!