Clay tiles look awesome, but my wallet started sweating just thinking about the install. I ended up with concrete tiles—still not cheap, but way less than clay and they’ve held up fine so far. Hail’s always a gamble here anyway...
Hail’s always a gamble here anyway...
You nailed it—hail is the wildcard nobody wants to bet on. I’ve seen plenty of clay tiles crack after a single bad storm, and then you’re stuck hunting for matching replacements (good luck with that). Concrete’s heavier, but it shrugs off hail a bit better in my experience. If you’re in a hail-prone area, I’d say you made the right call. Just keep an eye on the underlayment over time—sometimes water sneaks in where you least expect it.
You’re not wrong about concrete holding up better—clay looks great but it’s just not built for repeated hail hits. Have you had any issues with insurance trying to deny claims because of “pre-existing” damage? That’s been a headache for a few of my properties after storms.
Have you had any issues with insurance trying to deny claims because of “pre-existing” damage?
Yeah, that’s been a pain for me too. After a hailstorm last year, the adjuster pointed out a couple old chips on my concrete tiles and tried to call it “wear and tear.” Had to dig up old photos just to prove they were new. Out of curiosity, are you doing regular roof inspections or just after storms? I started documenting mine yearly just in case, but it’s kind of a hassle.
That’s actually a smart move, keeping yearly photos. I’ve seen a few homeowners get stuck when they can’t prove what’s new damage and what’s old. It’s a hassle, but probably worth it in the long run, especially with tile roofs since chips and cracks can be hard to spot until they get worse. Do you find clay tiles hold up better than concrete in your area? I’ve heard mixed things about how each handles hail, but haven’t seen enough side-by-side to know for sure.
