Had the same issue after a nasty storm—thought matching tiles would be the nightmare, but nope, underlayment drama stole the show. Ever seen your budget vanish into thin air overnight? Yeah...
Yeah, storms have a sneaky way of uncovering hidden issues, don't they? I went through something similar last year—thought I was golden with tile roofing, but turns out the underlayment was quietly deteriorating underneath. Talk about budget shock...felt like every time I blinked, another zero got added to the estimate.
Honestly though, tile roofs themselves seem pretty solid. It's always the stuff underneath or around them that gets you. Makes me wonder if there's a better way to spot these underlayment issues early on without tearing everything apart. Has anyone found a reliable way to check or maintain that layer before it becomes a wallet-draining surprise?
Had a similar experience at one of my properties a couple years back. Tile roof looked fantastic, tenants loved it, but after a heavy rainstorm, we found water stains creeping along the ceiling. Turns out the underlayment had been quietly failing for years. Since then, I've started scheduling periodic inspections—every 3-4 years or so—where they lift a few tiles in key areas to check underneath. It's not foolproof, but definitely beats waiting for the next big storm to reveal the damage...
"Turns out the underlayment had been quietly failing for years."
Yep, that's exactly it—tile roofs themselves are pretty durable, but it's usually the underlayment or flashing that gives out first. Seen this happen a bunch of times on jobs I've worked. Tiles look great from the outside, but underneath... different story. Good call on scheduling inspections every few years; catching issues early saves a ton of headaches later. I'd also recommend checking valleys and flashing around chimneys or vents—those spots are notorious for sneaky leaks. Sounds like you're already on top of things though, nice work.
Gotta disagree a bit on the "durable" part. Sure, tiles themselves can last decades, but calling tile roofs "maintenance-free" is a stretch. From what I've seen:
- Tiles crack way more often than people think—branches falling, foot traffic from repairs, even hailstorms can chip or break them.
- Underlayment definitely fails quietly, but tiles themselves aren't exactly bulletproof either. Had a job last month where the homeowner thought everything was fine until we found a bunch of cracked tiles hidden under debris.
- Moss and algae buildup can be a real pain, especially in shaded areas. It doesn't just look bad—it traps moisture and speeds up deterioration underneath.
- Valleys and flashing are trouble spots, yeah, but ridge caps and hip tiles can loosen over time too. Wind and weather slowly shift things around, and before you know it, you've got gaps letting water in.
Honestly, tile roofs are solid, but they're far from "set it and forget it." Regular checks and minor repairs are just part of the deal if you want them to last.
