I’ve managed a few buildings with tile roofs up north, and honestly, it’s a mixed bag. If the install’s perfect—good pitch, solid underlayment, no shortcuts—they can hold up, but one bad freeze/thaw and you’re chasing cracks or loose tiles. Metal’s noisy, sure, but I’ll take that over tracking down leaks in February. Has anyone actually had luck with newer tile types or heated underlayments? I’m curious if tech’s caught up to the climate yet.
I’ve tried heated underlayments on a couple of projects, and honestly, they help with ice damming but don’t totally solve the tile cracking issue. The newer composite tiles are supposed to be more flexible, but I still saw some edge chipping after a rough winter. What’s worked best for me is making sure the roof pitch is steep enough and doubling up on waterproofing at the eaves. It’s not foolproof, but it cuts down on mid-winter surprises. Anyone else notice that even the “improved” tiles still get brittle after a few seasons?
- Noticed the same thing with the “new and improved” tiles—mine started looking rough after just a couple of freeze-thaw cycles.
- Steep pitch definitely helps, but I still get some cracked corners, especially where snow piles up.
- Tried doubling up the ice shield at the eaves too... slowed leaks, didn’t stop the odd chip.
- Heated underlayment is nice in theory, but my electric bill says otherwise.
- Anyone else feel like the composite stuff is just fancier plastic that gets brittle anyway? Maybe it’s our wild temp swings up here.
- At this point, I’m half-convinced plain old metal is less headache, just noisy in hail.
Imagine you’re building a house somewhere that gets those brutal freeze-thaw cycles—like, snow one day, then a weirdly warm afternoon, then back to freezing. Would you even consider a tile roof? I keep hearing they’re gorgeous and last forever, but I’m picturing cracked tiles everywhere after a couple winters. Has anyone actually tried this, or is it just asking for trouble? What would you do if you had to pick a roof in that kind of climate?
Tile roofs look great, but in freeze-thaw climates they can crack easily. I’d go with metal or asphalt shingles for durability.
Tile roofs look great, but in freeze-thaw climates they can crack easily. I’d go with metal or asphalt shingles for durability.
I get the concern, but I’ve seen tile roofs hold up just fine in places like Colorado and parts of the Northeast. The key is using the right kind of tile (concrete or certain clay types) and making sure it’s installed properly with good underlayment. Metal’s solid, but it’s noisy in hail and costs a fortune. Asphalt’s cheaper, but you’ll be replacing it way sooner. I wouldn’t write off tile completely—just gotta do your homework and maybe spend a bit more upfront.
