This is a tile relay I completed on a beach home in the city of San Clemente. In a tile relay project, the same existing tiles are used to cover the home, while the underlayment is replaced with new, and the substrate is replaced as needed. Here I reused the home's existing low-profile tile.
To begin, the existing tiles are carefully removed and stacked into columns throughout different areas of the roof. The worn-down underlayment is torn off and discarded. Now, with the exposed roof deck I can assess the state of this layer of substrate and determine what areas of the wood might need replacing if any.
During this stage of the project, the roof deck is swept and cleaned to allow for the proper installation of the layers above. It also helps with properly assessing the condition of the bottom layer of the roofing system. Before any further work is completed, the homeowner is notified of the condition of the roof deck and made aware of any wood that will need to be replaced.
In the image shown here, you can see what sections of the roof deck I replaced with new plywood. As you can see, the deck areas most susceptible to water are typically found below penetrations like skylights and pipes or at roof edges and corners where different layers of the roofing system connect. In contrast, you can see how a large portion of the roof deck was still in firm good condition. The color on the existing wood is simply stained tar marks left over from its original installment and are not signs of deterioration.
Once the cleared deck has passed its first city inspection, I start work on the next phase of the project. It is at this stage when the new underlayment and dual flashing system are installed.
The picture here shows the roof at the midpoint of this stage, once the underlayment has been installed. You can see the neat overlap of the rows of ASTM #30 tar paper that I installed covering the row of nail holes used to secure each layer of paper in place. I also marked the paper with chalk lines to indicate where the courses of reinstalled tiles would be fastened.
After I finished installing the flashings around the pipes, skylight, and chimney on this home, I could begin reinstalling the low-profile tile. The existing tile is relayed along adequately spaced courses from bottom to top to ensure a water-tight seal. Tiles laid in an overexposed manner, increase the risk of water trickling down to the layers below. I give attention when installing tiles, properly fastening and overlapping the courses sufficiently to protect the layers below.
In the final picture, you can see the finished tile relay with the reinstalled ridge and rake tiles. I also replaced any missing or broken tiles with new ones as needed. The new tiles contrast with the reinstalled patina of the ocean weathered tiles for a time, before finally being stained from the erosion of the salty ocean breeze.
Contact us at Alas & Bravo Roofing Company to learn more about a tile relay project for your home.