Tile roofs stand out on an Overland Park street. That’s part of why people love them, and part of why owning one can feel lonely. When a tile cracks or a stain shows up on the ceiling, it’s hard to find someone who knows tile, and plenty of roofers would rather talk you into shingles than fix what you have.
If you own a tile roof, or you’re weighing one for a new build or a replacement, you deserve a straight answer about how tile roofing in Overland Park holds up and what it needs. Tile can last a very long time here. It just asks for a few things that a Florida or Arizona tile roof doesn’t.
APC Roofing is a GAF Certified contractor, licensed and insured, in business since 2017, and we work on clay and concrete tile. Our nearest office is in Shawnee. Call 913-398-5020 for a free inspection.
How tile roofing in Overland Park is different from tile down south
Most of the country’s tile roofs sit in warm, dry or coastal places. Kansas City asks more of a tile roof in three ways.
Freeze and thaw. Tile absorbs a small amount of water. When that water freezes, it expands. Over many winters, a tile that soaks up too much can start to flake or crack on its face. Products sold for cold climates are tested and rated for this kind of weathering, so the rating on the tile matters more here than it would in Orlando.
Hail. Spring storms around Johnson County can bring hail big enough to crack tile outright. Pea-sized hail usually does nothing. Larger stones can break a few pieces or a whole slope, and the broken spots let sunlight and water reach the underlayment below.
Snow and ice. Tile is already heavy, and wet snow adds load on top. Ice that forms at the eaves can push meltwater back up under the lower rows. That makes the waterproofing at the roof edge more important than on a tile roof in a warm climate.
The tile isn’t what keeps you dry
This surprises a lot of tile owners. The clay or concrete pieces shed most of the rain and shade everything beneath them, but the real waterproofing is the underlayment, the membrane laid over the roof deck. Wind-driven rain and melting snow always get some water past the tile, and the underlayment carries it down and off the roof.
So the tile can look perfect while the layer under it is worn out. And one cracked tile isn’t always a leak, because the underlayment below it may still be sound. A good inspection looks at both.
Clay or concrete?
Both are tile, and they behave differently in our weather.
Clay tile is fired in a kiln. The color goes all the way through, it absorbs very little water and it keeps its look for decades. It’s also brittle, so it cracks under a misplaced boot or a heavy hailstone. See clay tile roofing in Overland Park for more.
Concrete tile is made from sand and cement. It’s usually less expensive than clay and comes in many profiles, including flat styles that look like slate or shake. It absorbs more water than good clay and is often heavier, and on many products the color is a surface layer that fades on the sunny side over time. See concrete tile roofing in Overland Park.
Can your house carry a tile roof?
Standard tile weighs several times what asphalt shingles do. A house built for tile had its rafters sized for that from day one. A house that was built for shingles may not have the margin. If you’re thinking about switching to tile, a structural engineer should check the framing first, and the answer may be reinforcement, a lighter-weight tile or a different material altogether. We’ll tell you plainly if tile doesn’t make sense for your house.
Repair, re-lay or replace
Most tile roofs don’t need to be torn off when something goes wrong. Broken or slipped tiles can be swapped out one at a time. When the underlayment is the problem, the tiles can often be lifted, stacked, the underlayment replaced and the good tiles set back in place. A full replacement makes sense when the tile itself is failing or the roof has been through too much. Our tile roof repair in Overland Park and tile roof installation in Overland Park pages go into each.
How it works with APC Roofing
- Book your free inspection. Call 913-398-5020 or request a free online estimate.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. You’ll see photos of the tile, the flashing and anything we can see of the underlayment, and hear whether it’s a repair, a re-lay or a replacement.
- Your roof gets done and the site gets cleaned up. Tile work takes longer than a shingle job, and you’ll get a realistic timeline with your estimate. The crew cleans up before leaving.
Financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance if you’d like to spread out the cost.
Putting off a tile problem rarely saves money. Water that slips past a worn underlayment can rot the roof deck for a long time before it shows on a ceiling, and by then the repair is bigger than it needed to be.
Tile roof questions from Overland Park homeowners
Does tile hold up to Kansas City hail?
Small hail rarely hurts it. Large hail can crack both clay and concrete, so after a big storm it’s worth having the roof checked, even if it looks fine from the yard.
Is it safe to walk on a tile roof?
Not without knowing where to step. Tile breaks easily between its support points. Leave it to someone who works on tile, and ask any satellite, solar or chimney installer how they plan to protect the tile before they go up.
Can I match my existing tiles?
If your tile is still made, usually yes. If it’s been discontinued, matching comes from salvaged stock or the closest available product, and the color may differ slightly.
Do you install new tile roofs too?
Yes. We install clay and concrete tile, after checking that your house can carry the weight.
Keep your tile roof doing its job
A tile roof that’s cared for can protect your home for a very long time. Call 913-398-5020 or book your free inspection online, and you’ll know where your roof stands before the next storm or the next freeze. Your satisfaction is our reputation.
