If you are currently staring at your own house wondering if can you walk on a tile roof , the short answer is that it is actually possible, but you really shouldn't do it unless it's absolutely necessary. A lot of people see those heavy, heavy clay or concrete tiles and assume they are usually as solid as a sidewalk. In reality, they are even more like giant ceramic plates. One incorrect step and you're looking at a cracked tile, a leak, and a bill that'll create you wish you'd stayed on the particular ground.
While professional roofers and solar installers walk on these roofing all the time, they have got a particular technique. If you're just trying to get a dodgy frisbee or get rid of a gutter, you need to know the risks just before you start hiking that ladder.
Why walking on tiles is like a bad idea
The greatest problem with tile roofs—whether they are usually made from terracotta, clay, or concrete—is that will they aren't made to handle "point load" weight. Whenever a tile is definitely installed, it's meant to shed water and withstand the elements, not support a 200-pound human placing all of their weight on a single foot.
Tiles are often brittle. Clay-based tiles, especially older ones, become incredibly fragile with time as they bake in the sun. Even concrete floor tiles, which feel much sturdier, can develop hairline fractures that will you won't even see until the next heavy rainstorm. When you phase on the center of a tile, you're basically generating a lever effect that snaps the material against the particular roof batten underneath. It's a noisy, sickening crunch that always means you've just created a direct path regarding water to get into your house.
Past the damage to the roof, there's the damage to you . Tile roofs are notoriously slippery. If there's a bit of dirt, moss, or maybe a light morning dew, those tiles turn out to be like ice. As opposed to asphalt shingles, which have a sandpaper-like grit to provide you some grip, tiles are soft. One slip and you're either moving off the edge or smashing more ceramic tiles as you attempt to catch yourself.
Concrete vs. Clay: Would it issue?
You might think that in the event that you have concrete tiles, you're in the clear. It's genuine that concrete is usually more durable compared to clay, but that doesn't make it "walkable" within the traditional sense. Concrete ceramic tiles are heavy plus dense, but they still have air spaces underneath them. That space between the tile and the particular roof deck will be the danger zone. If you stage where there is definitely no support, the concrete will click just as easily as clay.
Clay tiles would be the most sensitive. They are generally thinner and have a more delicate "barrel" shape (those beautiful S-curved tiles). They are the types you should nearly by no means walk on if you can avoid it. They are costly to replace and matching the colour of an aged clay tile will be a nightmare. If you have a clay roof, the best choice is to stay off it entirely plus use a rhyme to inspect it or hire a pro with the particular right equipment.
If you definitely must increase right now there
Sometimes, you don't have a choice. Maybe a storm blew a branch up right now there, or you need to check a vent. If you find yourself within a situation where you need to proceed across the ceramic tiles, there is a specific way to do it that minimizes the risk of a disaster.
First, never action on the "nose" or the middle of a tile. This is actually the weakest point. Instead, you want in order to distribute your fat across two ceramic tiles where they overlap. This area is definitely supported by wooden batten underneath, offering you the very best chance of not breaking anything.
Think about it like strolling on a number of small, fragile bridges. You want to place your feet flat—never on your feet or heels—to spread the pressure more than as much surface region as possible. A few pros even recommend walking like a penguin, keeping your center of the law of gravity low and taking very small, planned steps.
Put on the proper shoes
Don't even think about going up generally there in flip-flops or even heavy work footwear with hard, rigid soles. Hard bottoms concentrate pressure and increase the likelihood of cracking a tile. You want some thing with a soft, grippy rubber single. Think basketball shoes or boots or specialized roof covering shoes. The goal is to possess the sole of the shoe "mold" slightly to the form of the tile, which helps with traction and distributes your weight more evenly.
Make use of boards to deliver weight
In the event that you're planning on staying in one location for a while—say, to paint a dormer or repair a chimney—you need to use "walk boards. " These are essentially bits of plywood with foam backing that you place across the tiles. The foam protects the tile surface area, and the wooden spreads your body weight across dozens of tiles at the same time instead of simply one. Much more the whole process significantly safer for each you and the particular roof.
The hidden danger of "invisible" damage
One of the most frustrating issue about walking on a tile roof is the fact that you may not even know you broke something. You could climb down, feeling happy that you didn't hear any loud cracks, simply to have got a ceiling leak six months later on.
This happens because of hairline fractures. When you put excessive pressure on a tile, this might not snap in half, however it can develop a tiny crack. As time passes, the cycle associated with heating up in the sun plus cooling down from night causes that will crack to broaden. Eventually, water discovers its strategies, rots the underlayment, plus starts dripping into your attic. When you notice the water stain on your ceiling, the repair bill provides tripled because right now you're dealing along with mold and structural wood rot.
When to contact a professional
At the end of the day time, can you walk on a tile roof ? Sure. But should you? Regarding most homeowners, the answer is a firm no.
Professional roofers have the experience to learn exactly where the battens are located just by looking at the tile layout. They have the safety makes use of, the proper ladders, and the insurance coverage to hide it in the event that things go wrong. If you employ a pro in order to clean your gutters or inspect your roof, they'll generally include a fast check for broken tiles anyway.
If your roof will be particularly steep, or even if it provides a lot of moss and lichen growth, do not really attempt to walk on it. Moss makes tiles incredibly slick, and it also hides existing cracks that might result in a tile to crumble the moment you step on it.
Final thoughts on DIY roof walking
If you're decided on DIY, just keep in mind that the cost of a professional inspection is usually usually way less than the cost of replacing ten damaged tiles and fixing a leak. Tile roofs invariably is an investment—they can last fifty years or even more in case they are handled right.
Maintain your ladders on the advantage, use an extendable pole intended for cleaning, and when you truly need to get upward there, move such as you're walking on eggshells. Because, in the world of roofing, that's essentially what you're doing. Your roof (and your wallet) can thank you regarding being cautious.