Tile roofing is one of the most respected roofing materials in Florida, loved for its durability, wind resistance, and timeless aesthetics.

 But what if you already have a tile roof? 

How long can you expect a modern tile roof to last? 

If your HOA mandates only a tile roof replacement, what options do you have within those requirements? 

Is it worth the upgrade in 2024? 

These are just a few questions we'll answer on this page.

Remember, the following information is simply the opinions of an active Florida roofer, AJ and Alex Amaya, based on their experiences in the field here in Sarasota, Bradenton, and North Port, Florida.

If you've purchased a home with a tile roof, or if you've just installed a new tile roof, congratulations! You have one of the best roofs available in Florida!

In many ways, a concrete tile roof is miles better than traditional asphalt shingles. Tiles offer better protection against hurricane winds, hail, and the scorching, destructive power of our Florida sun. Being concrete, they deflect heat better than asphalt, which tends to absorb heat, allowing it to penetrate into your attic space. 

Also, the air gaps between the tiles and your roof deck act as ventilation, allowing your roofing membrane to "breathe" and "relax" as needed to preserve its adhesion and pliability to your plywood deck. Tiles, being heavy and usually mechanically fastened with screws, offer a much stronger defense against hurricane-strength winds compared to asphalt shingles.

So, if you currently have a tile roof, what do you need to know? 

Well, the maintenance of a tile roof is extremely important. Firstly, it is crucial to keep your tile roof clean and free of debris and leaves, especially in the valleys and gutters. You must remember that as much water as you see running off the top of the tiles when it rains, nearly just as much water is running beneath the tiles every time it rains. The tiles are almost exclusively cosmetic and used to protect the roofing membrane from the sun. 

The most important waterproofing aspect of your tile roof is the roofing membrane. 

This membrane needs to be protected. If you have cracked or sliding tiles that expose the roofing membrane, in time that membrane will be "cooked" by the sun, causing it to crack. These cracks will eventually lead to leaks and costly damage to your home. At 2nd Gen Roofing, we recommend having a roof inspection performed by a qualified, licensed roofer at least once a year to identify these potential issues while they're still minor.

If a roof leak materializes in your tile roof, the tiles will need to be removed in the leak area to properly make repairs to the membrane. These repairs are difficult and require experience. If contracted to the wrong company, these repairs can take days to complete. Even after many attempts, it is not uncommon for inexperienced roofers to "get lost" trying to piece your tiles back together, leading to an unnecessarily large number of wasted tiles and continued roof leaks. It is important to choose a company that is experienced in tile roofing repairs. 

At 2nd Gen Roofing, our warranties are unmatched in our community. We are often the roofers called when one or two other roofing companies have failed to properly repair the leak.

With proper maintenance and preventative minor repairs, you can expect your tile roof to last anywhere from 25 to 30 years, depending on installation methods, tree coverage, and other factors. If in the right hands, a modern tile roof can be considered "modular" and can be repaired continuously well beyond its expected life. However, this may not be financially recommended depending on the size of the roof and other circumstances. 

Despite this, we have many clients with roofs well over 25 years old who have no plans to replace them anytime soon. It is our pleasure to keep these roofs alive for as long as needed by our clients.

If your HOA requires you to replace your roof with only a new tile roof, here's what we recommend... 

If you plan on a medium stay for instance around 10 years or so, consider a Villa 900 mechanically fastened concrete tile. This is a very strong tile, and a self-adhered underlayment will be installed, which is great. Being a mechanically fastened tile, you may save yourself a few thousand dollars. However, your annual maintenance may be $200 to $300 a year starting in year one or two. This maintenance will be needed to keep all debris off the roof and repair any cracked tiles due to settling or even golf balls damaging the tiles, all in an effort to prevent the roofing membrane from being exposed to the sun for too long. Being mechanically fastened with screws, it's easy to break a tile loose in such a way that it will soon be sliding down the roof, exposing the delicate roofing membrane. 

We need to catch this before the sun cooks it.

If this is your "forever home," consider an expanding foam down tile roof. This is the tile roof we all dream about. It will last as long as you've expected your tile roof to last. The benefits of a foam down tile roof are exponential. Our foam patties have a large surface area, over four inches square. In contrast, a screw down tile has a fastening surface area of a quarter inch by a quarter inch at best. This means that as soon as upward pressure is applied in a way that snaps the tile, that tile is completely free and exposed to the elements. You can just about smack a foam down concrete tile with a hammer, splintering it into six or seven pieces, and guess what? All the pieces will still remain affixed to the foam. Also, while walking on a foam down tile roof, there is a bit of "give" or "squish" to the tiles, making them much harder to snap. A foam down tile roof also has much less maintenance due to these characteristics. It is much harder to get a foam down tile to be compromised to the point of exposing the roofing membrane compared to a screw down tile. Hence, the reduced maintenance required.

A foam down tile roof will likely need little to no maintenance in the first few years of its life. After that, it should be minimal. Foam down tiles also lack the thousands of screw penetrations that your typical mechanically fastened tile requires. This means your tile underlayment remains intact and whole, with absolutely no chance of a screw shooting between two sheets of plywood or an inconvenient screw near a valley or gutter downspout waiting to leak. These are the reasons a foam down concrete tile is one of our absolute favorite roofs to recommend and install at 2nd Gen Roofing.

Is a tile roof worth buying in 2024? 

Well, in short, it all depends on your circumstances. If you see yourself moving in the next few years and the insurance company isn't bothering you about your tile roof's age, then let's just repair the roof as needed to get you by as long as possible. Because these tile roofs are indeed expensive. 

If your insurance company is pestering you to replace your tile roof, but you don't plan to spend more than 10 years or so in this home, let's go ahead and replace the roof with a quality mechanically fastened tile. 

If you love the home and plan to pass it down to your children, let's install a new foam down tile roof. 

If you are in a bind and need to replace your roof due to selling the home or insurance purposes, and you are not restricted by your HOA, then you should definitely consider an asphalt shingle roof. Our modern shingle roofs at 2nd Gen Roofing can last over 20 years.