Your clay tile roof is probably the first thing people notice about your house. So when a leak shows up, or a storm cracks a few pieces, the worry isn’t only the water. It’s the fear that someone will tell you the whole roof has to come off, and that tile you can’t replace will end up in a dumpster. If you need clay tile roofing in Springfield, MO, you want a roofer who’ll try to save what’s worth saving.
Most of the time, the clay itself is fine. The trouble is usually underneath it or at the edges, and that can be fixed without losing the look of your home.
APC Roofing repairs and installs clay tile roofs. We’re GAF Certified, licensed and insured, with an office in Springfield, and the inspection is free.
What makes clay tile different
Clay tile is shaped from natural clay and fired in a kiln, the same basic way brick is made. The color runs all the way through the tile, so it doesn’t fade the way painted or surface-colored materials do, and a well-fired tile absorbs very little water. Clay is also heavy and fairly brittle. It handles sun and rain beautifully and handles a careless boot badly.
If you’re still comparing clay with concrete, our Springfield tile roofing page lays out the differences side by side.
Clay tile in a Missouri winter
Clay tile shows up most often in hot, dry places, and Springfield isn’t one of them. Our winters swing above and below freezing again and again, and that’s the real test for clay.
Clay tile is graded for how well it holds up to weathering. Tile made for mild climates can absorb enough water that repeated freezing flakes or cracks the surface over the years. If you’re adding or replacing clay tile here, ask for tile rated for severe weathering. On an older roof, a few tiles with a flaking face aren’t unusual, and they can be swapped out one at a time.
Hail is the other Missouri concern. Pea-sized hail rarely does anything to clay tile. Large hail can crack tiles outright, and a cracked tile lets sun and water reach the underlayment. If a big storm has come through, it’s worth having the roof checked even when it looks fine from the yard.
Clay tile styles and matching
Clay tile comes in a few main shapes:
- Two-piece barrel (mission) tile, with half-round pans laid face up and covers laid over the gaps
- One-piece S tile, which combines the pan and cover in a single piece
- Flat or interlocking tile, which lies close to the roof and can look like slate from a distance
Matching matters on clay because nobody wants a patchwork roof. If your profile is still made, a replacement can match closely, though new tile may look a little brighter until it weathers. If it’s discontinued, which happens on older homes, salvaged tile or the closest current match fills the gap. We’ll show you the options before anything goes on.
Clay tile roof repair: what usually goes wrong
When a clay tile roof leaks, the tile is rarely the main problem. The usual causes are:
- Flashing around chimneys, walls or valleys that has rusted, pulled loose or been sealed with caulk instead of real metal
- Underlayment that has reached the end of its life
- Cracked or slipped tiles from foot traffic, a fallen branch or hail
- Loose or cracked mortar along the ridge and hips
Each clay tile is held by nails, screws, foam adhesive, mortar or clips, depending on how the roof was built. A careful repair works with that system, so neighboring tiles don’t crack when one comes out. For more on repairs, see tile roof repair in Springfield.
Clay tile roof replacement in Springfield, MO: relay or new tile?
Here’s the good news for a lot of clay tile owners. The tile often outlasts the underlayment beneath it by a wide margin. When the underlayment is worn out, the roof can often be “relaid”: the tiles come off by hand and get stacked, damaged decking is replaced, new underlayment goes down and the same tiles go back on. From the street, your house looks just like it did before.
Some old tiles will break in the process, so we’ll plan for replacements and match them as closely as we can. New tile makes more sense when a large share of the tiles are cracked, flaking or the wrong grade for our winters.
Putting clay tile on a new or existing home
Clay tile is heavy, several times the weight of asphalt shingles. A home built for tile has framing sized for it. If you want to switch from shingles to clay, a structural engineer needs to check the rafters first, and the framing may need strengthening. We’ll talk through that before you spend any money on a design.
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 see photos of the tile, flashing and underlayment where it’s visible, and a written estimate that tells you what can be saved.
- The work gets done and the site gets cleaned up. Salvaged tile is protected while the work happens, and broken pieces and debris are hauled off.
Clay tile questions from Springfield homeowners
Can my old clay tiles be reused?
Often, yes. If the tiles are sound and not flaking, they can usually be lifted, stored and put back over new underlayment.
Will new clay tiles match the old ones?
If your profile is still made, closely. The new tile may look a bit brighter for a while. If it’s been discontinued, we’ll find salvaged or near-match tile and show you before it goes on.
How do I take care of a clay tile roof?
Keep branches trimmed back, keep leaves out of the valleys and channels, and don’t let anyone walk on it who doesn’t need to. Have it checked after a big hailstorm.
Can you put clay tile on a house that has shingles now?
Sometimes. It starts with a structural engineer confirming the framing can carry the weight.
Keep the roof that makes your house yours
Small problems on a clay roof, like a slipped tile or a cracked piece of flashing, cost little to fix early and a lot more after a few years. Water that gets past them softens the roof deck slowly and quietly.
See all our services on the Springfield roofing page, or call 913-398-5020 to book your free inspection. You’ll keep the roof your house is known for, with a dry attic under it and a clear plan for what it needs.
