Maybe your home already has a concrete tile roof and you’ve started noticing faded color, a few cracked pieces or a stain on the ceiling. Or you’re pricing out a new roof and like the idea of tile without the cost of clay. Either way, you’re looking for concrete tile roofing in Shawnee and want someone who knows how this material behaves here.
Tile isn’t the usual roof in Johnson County, so good information can be hard to find. The last thing you want is a contractor who treats it like shingles or tells you to tear off a roof that only needs work underneath.
APC Roofing works on concrete and clay tile from an office in Shawnee. The company has been in business since 2017 and is GAF Certified, licensed and insured. Call 913-398-5020 for your free inspection and estimate.
What concrete tile is
Concrete roof tile is made from cement, sand and water, pressed into molds and cured. It comes in many profiles. Some are shaped like Spanish barrel tile, while others are flat and made to look like slate or wood shake.
The color is added in one of two ways. Through-body tile has color mixed all the way through, so a chip shows the same color underneath. Surface-colored tile has a color coat on top, which can wear and fade over the years. If you’re choosing new tile, ask which kind you’re getting.
Concrete tile roofing in Shawnee’s climate
Concrete tile is tough, but Shawnee weather tests it in specific ways.
Freeze-thaw. Concrete absorbs more water than clay. When that water freezes inside the tile again and again over a winter, the surface can start to flake or crack. Good concrete tile for cold climates is made to resist this, and a properly installed roof sheds water quickly so tiles dry out between storms.
Hail. Concrete tile is thick and handles moderate hail well. Large hail can still crack or chip it, especially the edges and corners. Damaged tiles can usually be replaced individually, which keeps repairs smaller than on many other roof types.
Ice dams. As with any roof here, ice can build up at the eaves and push water backward. A self-sealing ice-and-water membrane at the eaves and in valleys is the protection underneath.
Efflorescence. Sometimes concrete tile develops a white, chalky haze. It’s usually mineral salts carried to the surface by moisture. It’s mostly cosmetic and often fades with weather, though it’s worth noting on an inspection.
Weight: the first thing to check
Concrete tile is one of the heaviest roof coverings you can choose, heavier than clay in most cases. If your home was built for tile, the framing was sized for it. If you’re replacing shingles with concrete tile, the roof structure needs to be evaluated first. Lightweight concrete tiles exist and can help, but they still weigh much more than shingles.
Where concrete tile roofs leak
On most concrete tile roofs, leaks don’t come from the tile. They come from what’s underneath and around it:
- Worn underlayment. This layer under the tile does most of the waterproofing, and it ages out long before the concrete does.
- Flashing. Metal at walls, chimneys and valleys can rust, separate or get sealed with caulk that fails.
- Cracked or slipped tiles. These let water reach the underlayment directly.
- Ridge and hip trouble. Loose fasteners or cracked mortar at the top of the roof let water in where it’s hardest to spot.
A leaking concrete tile roof can often be fixed by lifting the tile, replacing the underlayment and flashing and reinstalling the same tile. Our page on tile roof repair in Shawnee goes through those options.
Concrete or clay?
Concrete tile usually costs less than clay and offers more styles, including flat profiles that look like slate. Clay is lighter, absorbs less water and holds its color longer, especially compared with surface-colored concrete. Both are long-lasting materials when they’re installed correctly. Our page on clay tile roofing in Shawnee covers the clay side, and our Shawnee tile roofing page lists all of our tile services.
If your current tile roof is beyond saving and the weight concerns you, it’s reasonable to consider a different material for the replacement. We can walk you through a roof replacement in Shawnee with shingle or metal options too.
Keeping concrete tile in good shape
Stay off the roof. Concrete tile can crack under a person’s weight, especially if they step in the wrong spot. Keep valleys and gutters clear so water doesn’t back up under the tile. Avoid pressure washing, which can strip surface color and drive water under the tiles. If you see cracked tiles or a shifted row from the ground, have it looked at before winter sets in.
How it works
- Book your free inspection. Call 913-398-5020 or request a free estimate online.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. You’ll get photos and a plain answer on whether the tile, the underlayment or the flashing is the real problem. Financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance.
- Your roof gets done and the site gets cleaned up. Tile work takes longer than a shingle roof, and your estimate includes a realistic timeline.
A small crack in a concrete tile can let water reach the underlayment, and from there it can soak the deck over a winter. Catching it early usually means replacing a few tiles instead of a section of roof.
Concrete tile questions from Shawnee homeowners
Does concrete tile hold up to Kansas winters?
Good-quality concrete tile, installed with proper underlayment and an ice barrier at the eaves, handles winter well. Older or lower-grade tile may show flaking after many freeze-thaw cycles.
Why is my concrete tile fading?
Surface-colored tile loses its color coat over time from sun and weather. Through-body tile fades much less. Fading alone doesn’t mean the tile is failing.
Can you replace just the broken tiles?
Usually, yes. Matching can be harder if the tile has been discontinued, so salvaged tiles or a close match may be used.
Can I switch from shingles to concrete tile?
Possibly, but only after the roof structure is checked to make sure it can carry the extra weight.
Get an honest look at your concrete tile roof
Call 913-398-5020 to book your free inspection. You’ll find out what’s going on with the tile, the flashing and the layers below, explained in plain words.
What you want is a tile roof that keeps your home dry, looks good from the street and doesn’t keep you up at night when the forecast calls for hail.
