You love the look of your tile roof, but now there’s a stain on the ceiling, or a few cracked tiles you can see from the driveway, and you can’t tell if it’s a quick fix or the start of something expensive. Tile roofing in Orlando lasts a long time. The part that actually keeps water out, though, sits underneath where you can’t see it, and that’s what makes it so hard to know whose advice to trust.
You don’t need to become a tile expert. You need someone to go up, look properly and explain what’s going on in plain words.
APC Roofing is GAF Certified, licensed in Florida (CCC1337030) and insured. We repair, re-lay and replace clay and concrete tile roofs across Orlando, and the inspection and estimate are free. Call 407-270-1129, or browse all our Orlando roofing services.
How a tile roof keeps water out
The tiles take the sun and shed most of the rain toward the gutters. Wind-driven rain still slips between them, and that water lands on the underlayment, a waterproof layer laid over the roof deck. The underlayment is what really stops leaks.
So one cracked tile doesn’t always mean a wet ceiling. It also explains why a tile roof that looks perfect from the street can still leak. Once the underlayment wears out, water runs down the deck and can show up as a stain several feet from where it got in.
What Orlando weather does to tile roofs
Central Florida is hardest on the parts of a tile roof you never see. Heat builds up under the tiles for most of the year, and over time it dries out older felt underlayment until it cracks. Summer afternoon storms drive heavy rain sideways into every gap. Then hurricane season, June through November, brings the kind of wind that loosens tiles at the edges, hips and ridges, where wind pulls hardest.
Tile itself handles all of this well. What usually decides how long your roof lasts is the underlayment, the flashing and how each tile is fastened. The Florida Building Code sets how tile has to be attached here, whether that’s foam adhesive, screws, clips or a mix, based on the tile and the house.
Clay or concrete tile?
Most tile roofs around Orlando are concrete, with clay on some homes. Both are heavy, long-lasting and comfortable in the heat.
Clay tile is fired in a kiln, so the color runs all the way through and holds up to years of sun. It also soaks up very little water. Our clay tile roofing in Orlando page goes deeper.
Concrete tile is cured instead of fired. On many products the color is a surface coat, so the sunny side fades over the years and a chipped edge shows gray. It’s the more common choice on Central Florida homes, and it comes in a wide range of profiles.
If you’re thinking about switching from shingles to tile, keep in mind that tile weighs several times more than shingles, so the framing has to be checked by an engineer before anyone orders material.
Tile roof repair, re-lay or replacement
A slipped tile, a broken ridge cap or a leak where the roof meets a wall usually calls for a contained tile roof repair. Broken pieces get replaced with a matching profile, and the flashing underneath gets fixed while the area is open.
When the underlayment is worn out across a whole slope, patching won’t hold for long. The usual fix is a re-lay. The tiles come off and get stacked, damaged decking is replaced, new underlayment goes down and the good tiles go back on. Some tiles break along the way, older ones especially, so you’ll hear about matching options before the work starts.
A full tile roof replacement makes sense when the tile itself is failing, your profile is no longer made, or you simply want a new look. If tile isn’t the right fit for your house, a roof replacement with shingle or metal is another route. Tile jobs take longer than shingle roofs, and you’ll get a realistic timeline with your estimate.
Signs your tile roof needs a look
- Broken or slipped tiles, or tile pieces collecting on the driveway
- Crumbled mortar in the grass below a ridge or hip
- A ceiling stain, even one far from any damage you can see
- Leaves and debris packed into the valleys
- A wavy or sagging line along the bottom row of tile
A practical tip: try not to walk on your tile roof, and ask any satellite or solar installer to coordinate with a roofer first. Tile cracks easily under a foot in the wrong spot, and the damage often can’t be seen from the ground.
How it works with APC Roofing
- Book your free inspection. Call 407-270-1129 or request a free online estimate.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. We walk every slope, lift tiles where the underlayment needs checking and look in the attic for water stains. You get photos and a plain verdict on each problem, and you decide what gets done.
- Your roof gets done and the site gets cleaned up. The crew protects your landscaping and clears every bit of debris before leaving.
If you’d like to spread out the cost, financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance.
Questions about tile roofing in Orlando
How long does a tile roof last in Florida?
The tile can last for decades. The underlayment wears out well before the tile does, and its condition usually decides when major work comes due. Regular checks and clear valleys help the whole roof last as long as it should.
Can you replace only the broken tiles?
Usually, yes, as long as the underlayment beneath them is sound. If it’s worn out, new tiles on top won’t stop the leak, and we’ll show you photos of why.
Do you install new tile roofs in Orlando?
Yes. We install clay and concrete tile and handle full tile roof replacements, including new underlayment and flashing.
Is it OK to pressure wash a tile roof?
It’s best not to. High pressure can strip the color coat off concrete tile and force water up under the tiles. A cleaner made for roofs, rinsed off gently, is the safer way to deal with algae and moss.
A tile roof you don’t have to worry about
Waiting on a small leak under tile rarely saves money. Water that gets past the underlayment soaks into the decking, and a job that once meant a few tiles turns into re-laying a whole slope.
The next afternoon storm rolls through and the ceiling stays clean. That’s what a sound tile roof gives you: a dry house, no surprise bill and the confidence that you made the right call. Call 407-270-1129 to book your free inspection, or start with our free online estimate.
