Tile roofs
Tile Roof Cleaning & Sealing in Indian Rocks Beach
Tile does not dry out the way shingles do, so it gets a different job: a careful clean, then a clear sealer worked across the roof one section at a time.
A separate job from shingle treatment
Concrete and clay tiles are porous. In the humid air along the Gulf they take in moisture, hold on to algae and mildew stains, and slowly lose their surface. A clear sealer slows that down by cutting how much water the face of each tile soaks up.
This is not the rejuvenation treatment we use on asphalt shingles, and none of the shingle results apply to it. We will not put a number of years on tile, because how long a sealed surface holds up depends on the tile, its exposure and how the roof is looked after.
How a tile job runs
Look first
Cracked or slipped tiles are pointed out before work starts, since sealing will not mend them.
Clean
We work the roof section by section with low-pressure water, loosening the staining while leaving the tile edges intact.
Dry
The roof is left to dry fully, because sealer only goes on clean, dry tile.
Seal
The clear sealer goes on in even passes, and each section is checked for missed patches.
What sealing will and will not do
Tile owners get the same plain account of limits as everyone else.
What sealing does
- Slows water absorption into the tile face
- Makes staining slower to take hold
- Helps the surface stand up to sun and rain
- Lets the cleaned tile color show through
What it will not do
- Mend cracked, broken or slipped tiles
- Stop a leak through the underlayment
- Change the color of the tile
- Stand in for the asphalt shingle treatment
Tile sealing questions
Do you replace broken tiles?
No. Broken or slipped tiles need a roofer. We point out the ones we see so they can be dealt with before sealing.
Can a stained roof be sealed straight away?
Not until it has been cleaned. Sealing over algae or grime would lock it in, so the cleaning step is never skipped.
Is this the same as soft washing?
The cleaning step is similar, but tile is a different surface. For asphalt shingle roofs there is a separate soft washing service.
Concrete or clay tile overhead?
Tell us the tile type if you know it and how stained the roof looks; we will take it from there.