Emergency tile roof repair first gets water off the underlayment that broken or missing tiles have exposed, then makes the lasting fix. Where matching tiles are on hand, the crew replaces the broken ones straight away; where they are not, the gap is covered and the tiles are sourced. Either way, the underlayment and flashing beneath are checked before the roof is closed up. For tiles knocked off or smashed before rain, call NEMA Roofing at 866-631-3366.
When is a tile roof problem an emergency?
- Tiles blown or knocked off, leaving underlayment or bare deck showing.
- A limb or other heavy object has smashed a patch of tiles.
- Ridge or hip caps loosened by wind, opening the top of the roof.
- Tiles sliding down and hanging at the eave, where they can fall on someone below.
- A leak inside, even if the tiles you can see from the ground look whole.
A single cracked tile in dry weather is a repair to book, not an emergency. Tile is a water-shedding layer; the TRI Alliance installation manual calls the underlayment under it critical to the success of the roof, and the association’s walkability brief asks for broken tiles to be replaced as soon as possible to keep water and sunlight off that layer. The clock starts when the underlayment is exposed.
What can you do safely from the ground?
- Stay off the tiles. Tile breaks underfoot unless you know where to step, and a wet tile roof is slick.
- Keep people clear of the eaves below any tile that has slipped or is hanging loose.
- Collect fallen tiles and pieces. They show the roofer the profile and color to match, and they are evidence for an insurance claim.
- Look for spare tiles. Leftover tiles from the original installation are sometimes stored in a garage or side yard; they are the best match you will find.
- Photograph the roof from the ground, the fallen pieces and any stain inside.
What happens on an emergency visit to a tile roof?
The crew walks the roof the way the tile industry recommends: on the lower 3 inches of each tile, where it rests on the tile beneath, and away from cut tiles at hips and valleys. Then, depending on what is on hand:
| Situation | What the crew does |
|---|---|
| Matching tiles available, underlayment intact | Replace the broken tiles now, fastened and seated so they interlock with their neighbors |
| Matching tiles available, underlayment torn | Lift the surrounding tiles, patch or replace the underlayment, then relay the tiles |
| No matching tiles | Cover the opening against rain without nailing through sound tiles, then source replacements |
| Ridge or hip caps loose | Reset the caps or cover the ridge line until they can be properly re-bedded and fastened |
| Leak with no visible broken tile | Trace it; on tile roofs the cause is often flashing or aged underlayment, not the tile |
How a tarp is laid on tile without cracking more of it is covered in emergency roof tarping.
Can a cracked tile just be sealed?
Usually not. The TRI Alliance’s brief on chipped tile quotes the product approval language that cracked or broken tiles must not be installed or allowed to remain on the roof, and says a tile cracked across its face should be replaced. It allows a narrow exception: a small chip on the cover-lock corner, under 3 inches, may be bonded back with an adhesive made for roof tile if the broken piece is available. Roof cement spread over a crack is a stopgap at best and can trap water in the tile’s water channel.
Is the “two-inch lift” test after a windstorm real?
After a windstorm, some homeowners are told that tiles which can be lifted more than 2 inches at the nose prove the whole roof fails code and must be replaced. The TRI Alliance addressed this directly in its 2021 brief on evaluating roofs after high wind: the code’s tests do not prescribe or support prying tiles up to a 2-inch threshold, and lifting tiles that way does not show whether the roof complies. The same brief notes that tiles broken in a wind event are usually broken by flying debris rather than lifted by the wind. A wind claim should rest on a proper inspection, not on a pry bar.
When does an emergency tile repair become a bigger job?
If the underlayment under the lifted tiles is brittle, if there are leaks in several places, or if the original tiles are no longer made, a spot repair may only move the problem. The usual next step on a sound tile roof is to lift the tiles, replace the underlayment and flashing, and reset the same tiles; sourcing options for discontinued profiles are in common tile roof problems and how to fix them, and how long each layer lasts is in how long a tile roof lasts.
Tile emergencies, handled across Southern California
NEMA Roofing repairs clay and concrete tile roofs from Santa Barbara to Downey: five locations (Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Woodland Hills, Tarzana and Downey) serving all of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. See every area we cover. Our emergency roof repair service and our tile roofing service explain the work in more detail. Call 866-631-3366.
