How To Walk On Tile Roof

Clay and concrete tiles are a great roofing material since they re more durable than shingles but they can break or crack if you apply too much pressure while you re walking on them.

How to walk on tile roof.

The key to walking on a tile roof is distributing your weight over and area wider than your foot. You want to walk on that overlapping. Before you can start walking you need to understand a little more about roofs in general. A normal walk is not generally the best approach upon a tile roof.

Whether a structure has an asphalt shingle metal clay or concrete tile roof walking on the roof for seasonal inspections and cleanings is inevitable. When choosing a home inspector ensure they will walk on the concrete tile roof. Instead transfer your weight gradually as you walk and curve your step with the arc of the tile as it falls. The basic guide to walk on clay tile roof is similar to guide on how to walk on roof tiles but you need to add extra carefulness.

Steps where the roof tiles are overlapped with each. This way you re actually standing on 4 tiles with one foot. Most concrete tiles are lifted a little off of your roof and sit on wood batten strips creating a gap under the tiles for ventilation. Image showing how concrete tiles are installed on a roof.

Clay tile is almost impossible to walk without damaging breaking tiles unless you weigh less than 100 lbs however if you must walk the roof the best method is as in picture 1. Often times roof tile manufacturers do not. If you don t apply the right technique you can easily cause breaking and even the potential for you to seriously be hurt. I find defects with 85 of the concrete tile roofs i inspect.

When you walk on your roof make sure you are walking on the reinforced part the lower third of the visible tile. Here are the applicable steps to prevent and minimize damage for clay roofing materials. To do this experienced workers lay down plywood walkways treated with foam backs when moving across a tile roof. Never walk along the delicate edges of tile or along specially cut tiles that are difficult to replace.

Wear anti slippery shoes because clay tiles are infamous for being slippy. However when it comes to tile roofs in particular there is a proper way to walk on the tiles in order to avoid damage. Walking on a roof can be an unsettling affair doubly so for tile roofs. Also you need to step where the tiles lap eachother toward the lower edge of the tile.