Mixing Roof Types

April 6, 2009 | By Kelley Koehler | Filed Under Repair Renovate Maintain

Had a discussion about roof types the other day with one of my clients. There are some newer home communities where the builder would offer two different elevations for the same model: one with a pitched tile roof and one with a flat roof, so you often see those mixed within a community.

Now, tile roofs and flat roofs have very different lifespans and need very different maintenance. The tile roof you need to have checked every couple of years for cracked or shifting tiles, or for cracks in the mortar at the peak. Tile roofs can last decades with only very minor maintenance and attention.

Flat roofs, on the other hand, you should probably be checking those annually for cracking and blistering and ponding. Depending on the type, a flat roof may need spot sealing along the seams and protrusions yearly, and a re-coat for some kinds of roofs every 3-5 years. Usually, this kind of roof maintenance is fairly inexpensive, at least compared to something like major work on a tile roof.

What happens often is that the main house is a tile roof, but the garage and patio roofs are flat, so you’ve got two different maintenance types and schedules. A lot of home owners with tile roofs don’t think about their flat patio roofs until they start to leak. It’s perfectly fine to have mixed roof types on a single house, just make sure you’re maintaining each on the proper schedule.

Comments

One Response to “Mixing Roof Types”

Jake Boen on April 6th, 2009 3:18 pm

With the “flat” roofs other problems will persist at the the tops of stucco parapets. Cracking due to to expansion or poor stucco installation will allow water behind the stucco and into the walls which is usually a problem that stays concealed for years.
Clay tile and Cement tile roofs are said to contribute to the urban heat island effect because they retain the heat collected during the day and release it during the night hours and may be a concern for the sustainable client.
You hadn’t touched on asphalt tile roofs but they have issues as well and not all asphalt tile roofs are alike, but they tend to require replacements sooner than later. At least with a “flat” roof you can put together a maintenance plan to re-coat the roof.
Metal roofs are great and have very little maintenance except a coat of paint here or there. They do however must be installed and flashed correctly or you will get a leaky roof. Other common installation problems are not allowing for proper expansion and can hear the roof “walk” as it heats up or cools down or one could observe the aesthetic problem of oil caning (a slight warp in the metal surface).

Also, proper roof venting and / or insulation must be used for all roof types or warranties will be void and moisture problems may exist and cause even the structure to rot.

Hopefully all of this isn’t too terribly technical.

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