Would tile roofs survive a harsh winter up north?

I hear you on the icicles - my place in central Wisconsin has a tile roof too, and the first winter was a learning curve. Even with good insulation and an ice/water shield, I still get some ice dams along the gutters. What’s helped me is making sure attic ventilation is solid, so warm air doesn’t sneak up and melt the snow unevenly. I get the noise concern with metal... my neighbor has one and you can definitely hear the rain. Tile’s quieter, but yeah, you do have to keep an eye out for cracks after a rough freeze-thaw cycle. It’s a tradeoff either way.

- Totally agree about attic ventilation - makes a bigger difference than I expected.
-

“Tile’s quieter, but yeah, you do have to keep an eye out for cracks after a rough freeze-thaw cycle.”

Had a couple tiles crack last February after that weird warm spell, so I’m checking them more often now.
- Ice dams are still a pain even with all the right layers. I tried heat cables last year, but not sure they helped much.
- Curious if anyone’s had luck sealing up those little gaps at the eaves? Wondering if that’d help with the ice dam issue or just trap more moisture.

Curious if anyone’s had luck sealing up those little gaps at the eaves? Wondering if that’d help with the ice dam issue or just trap more moisture.

Tried that once for a customer - thought it’d be a quick fix, but ended up with condensation dripping down the rafters by late January. Those gaps actually help things breathe, even if they look like trouble spots. Tile’s tough up here, but freeze-thaw cycles are brutal. I’ve replaced more cracked tiles after weird warm snaps than after actual blizzards. Heat cables can help, but only if everything else is dialed in first... otherwise it’s just melting one problem into another.

Those gaps actually help things breathe, even if they look like trouble spots.

I ran into the same issue last winter - sealed up a few eave gaps thinking it’d stop drafts, but ended up with frost on the underside of the sheathing. Ventilation’s more important than I realized. I’ve got concrete tiles, and honestly, the freeze-thaw is rougher than the snow load itself. Heat cables helped a bit, but only after I sorted out attic insulation and airflow. Otherwise, just made a mess.

Yeah, I learned the hard way too - tried to block off every little gap and just made things worse. Tiles themselves hold up okay, but if the attic can’t breathe, you’re fighting ice dams all winter. It’s wild how much difference a bit of airflow makes. Heat cables are kinda a band-aid if the insulation’s not dialed in, honestly.