Repairing Roof Tiles and Metal Shingles

One of the reasons home owners use masonry and metal roofing materials is the fact that they last a long time. Even though these roofing systems have a long life, small leaks, broken tiles and dented or damaged metal shingles can still happen. Usually the roof repairs to these materials require little work, however if you have a large leak or major damage from a storm, we recommend contacting a Denver roofers to help with your roof repair. It is better to leave the major problems to experienced roofers, especially for ceremic or concrete tiles.

Repairing Masonry Tiles
Small holes or cracks can be patched with roofing cement on masonry roofing systems. You can handle this type of roof repair on your own. If a tile is cracked (picture below), use a wire brush and clean out the crack before applying the roofing cement. If you have a crack that extends above the overlapping tile above it you should replace the entire tile. To do this, you should gently pry the tile that is above broken tile and remove. Apply roofing cement to area under new tile and slide the new tile into position. If the tile is nailed down, use a hammer to break apart old tile and remove. Remove the nails before applying roofing cement and new tile.



Repairing Metal Shingles
If you find small holes in your metal roofing system, you can patch these with a water resistant caulk. If you have larger repairs or panels that need to be replaced, I recommend calling a Denver roofing company to help you out.

Most metal shingles and panels use an interlocking system so it is important to understand how this works before you try and add or remove the metal pieces. Usually you will need to cut damaged shingles with a tin snips and then modify the way the new shingle will interlock. This can be tricky which is why you may want to leave it to a professional.

To replace a metal shingle cut the damaged one out and trace the old shape into the new shingle so you know it will fit prefectly. Place it into the mates and try and interlock to shingles that are on either side. Seal all edges (4) with silicone water-resistant caulking to ensure it will be water proof.

These roofing materials can be tricky to work with as they both involve an interlocking system. Repairs such as cracks or small holes are easy to fix but a broken or damaged tile can be much more complicated. These roof repairs will only get worse if not properly fixed the first time.