Florida’s love of tile roofing goes all the way back to some of the first Spanish colonies in North America. While our love of tile roofing has stayed, we’ve found new ways to make tile roofs last longer and provide better home protection. Thanks to these new tile roof maintenance strategies, tile roofs are better than ever!
If you’re not sure how to take care of your roof, then let us give you the most up-to-date tips on tile roof maintenance. We’re PITCH Roofing and as veteran Florida contractors, it’s our pleasure to keep you current on the best ways to take care of your roof so you can get the most value out of your investment in your home. Keep reading for all the dos and dont’s of maintaining a tile roof in Florida!
Tile Roof Maintenance Don’ts
You know that old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure”? That holds true with tile roof maintenance, too. That’s why we’re starting with the things you should avoid doing to make sure your tile roof has a long, healthy life!
Don’t: Get on Your Tile Roof
As a homeowner, sometimes you may want to access your roof, whether you’re inspecting for damage or trying to do some minor repairs. This isn’t a big deal when you have asphalt shingles, since these are fairly resistant to occasional foot traffic. Tile roofs are a different story, though.
Roofing tiles are not built to support the weight of an adult human. In fact, clay tiles are fairly brittle, so any substantial amount of weight runs the risk of cracking the tile and damaging your roof further.
There are ways to safely navigate tile roofs, but they require specialized equipment and know-how. If you need to have tile roof maintenance conducted on your home, it’s best to leave any accessing of your roof to licensed professionals who know how to fix issues on your roof without accidentally crushing a tile and causing new problems.
Don’t: Overlook Cracks in Your Tiles
As we mentioned, tiles are often brittle. This means that anything from hail to storm debris has a chance of damaging your tiles. As roofers, one of the biggest tile roof maintenance failures that we see is homeowners not acting quickly when there is a problem like this on their roofs.
Even if the crack in your tile seems minor, it’s still important to get roof repairs ASAP. Over time, damage has a tendency to spread — for example, maybe the crack slowly lets water accumulate under your tiles and degrade your underlayment. If this happens, you’ve gone from a quick and easy fix to replacing a section of your roof.
We understand that it’s hard to know for sure when a roofing problem is serious. But one rule of tile roof maintenance is that if you suspect that there’s a problem, it’s worth it to have a roofer come out and take a look just to be sure. You spent a lot of money on your tile roof, so don’t endanger that investment by ignoring signs of wear and tear!
Don’t: Pressure Wash Your Tile Roof
Over time, tile roofs can occasionally develop mold or other kinds of discoloration. This is especially true in humid Florida. While wanting a pristine tile roof is totally normal, we strongly discourage power washing your tile roof to clean it.
There are two main dangers when it comes to power washing your roof. First, the water pressure is likely to crack your tiles. And even if it doesn’t, it will force water beneath your tiles, which can weaken your underlayment and lead to structural concerns for your entire roofing system. Keeping your roof clean is part of good tile roof maintenance, but using a pressure washer is one of the worst things you can do for a Florida tile roof!
Tile Roof Maintenance Dos
Now that we’ve covered the biggest tile roof maintenance mistakes to avoid, it’s time to talk about the maintenance that will keep your tile roof looking and performing its best for decades. Keep reading for our simple and easy tips!
Do: Set Up Regular Roof Inspections
In Florida, roof inspections are a 100% necessary part of tile roof maintenance. While the general wisdom everywhere is to get your roof inspected once a year, especially if your roof is more than five years old, Floridians may need even more regular roof inspections.
In addition to annual roof inspections, you should have a professional look at your roof after any major storm. As we mentioned, storm debris can do a real number on tile roofs, so it’s best to get ahead of any issues and make sure you’re being proactive. While this can seem like an additional expense, this will actually save you money across the lifetime of your roof by keeping any repair costs as low as possible.
Do: Get Professional Cleaning Services
Everyone loves the pristine look of a tile roof. But over time, that beauty will get hidden under layers of algae, mildew, and dirt. Since trying to clean your own tile roof will likely lead to cracked tiles at best and serious accidents at worst, we strongly encourage hiring a professional crew to clean your roof.
Your exact mileage may vary, but generally, we recommend getting a tile roof cleaning every 3 to 5 years. This ensures that any buildup doesn’t have time to set into your tiles, which will keep them from weakening over the life of your roof. We know that nobody wants another tile roof maintenance bill, but this really is a crucial step that protects both the aesthetics and the performance of your roof.
Do: Keep Gutters and Downspouts Clear
Roofing tiles are designed to help move water off your roof. Whether that’s through divots in French tiles or the rounded edge of barrel tiles, these roofing materials are excellent at moving water to the edge of your roof. But when leaves and other debris pile up, they can block the flow of water and lead to trapped water getting into places it shouldn’t.
That’s why you should regularly take a look at your gutters and downspouts to make sure they’re functioning as intended. When your gutters overflow, they can wear away at your home’s foundation. While this isn’t an immediate concern, over time it could do major damage to your home and lead to extremely costly repairs.
The good news about this tile roof maintenance tip is that you probably won’t have to clear leaves and other debris very often. Most professionals recommend cleaning your gutters twice a year, which is a worthy sacrifice for keeping your home protected and safe!
Get a Free Estimate for Tile Roofing Services
Whether you’re considering getting a new tile roof or you need some tile roof maintenance yourself, PITCH has your back. As some of the top-rated roofers in Florida, we’ve mastered tile roof installations, repairs, and inspections. If you’re interested in any of these services, all you have to do is sign up for a free, no-obligation quote.
To get your tile roofing estimate, call us at 727-677-4824 or schedule your estimate online. We don’t do hidden fees or vague promises — just exact, detailed estimates of what we offer and how much it costs. That’s what we call roofing done right!
Tile roof maintenance is an essential part of owning a tile roof. If you have any questions about how to best take care of your roof, don’t hesitate to reach out to our knowledgeable, friendly staff. We’ve been doing this for a long time, and we love getting to help our local community members!
Heather Ware is an In-House Roofing Specialist at PITCH Roofing. Working daily alongside our internal roofing teams, she translates complex Florida building codes and roofing techniques into clear, actionable advice for homeowners. With 4 years of experience in the Florida roofing industry, her goal is to ensure property owners have the exact facts they need to protect their investments.
