Spanish Tile Roof

[TNTPW 14]

I have a few questions about a spanish tile roof. The first one is can i walk on it? The second one is what chemical would clean it best? It was red at one time and you can not even see one drop of red any where. It is BLACK, real black. I will try to post pictures in the next day or two. Any help would be great. At first i thought it was that barrel tile but it is not. It is spanish tile.

[Henry B. 4]

Hey Travis,

NO, you can't walk on it and I think I spoke to you about this yesterday. Unless it was someone else..lol Either way, I would use sodium hydroxide base cleaner/stripper on it. Do a test spot first, just in case.

[Rick G 14]

About 90% of the roofs I do are tile. Most are 'S' type, some are flat and some are traditional Spanish. I have to respectfully disagree with Henry. A little history to impress your customers- The term Spanish comes from the old way they where made in old country Spain. Craftsmen would take clay and would form or mold the clay over their thigh making the curve. They would lay one tile down like a hill and then the one next to it would be opposite and make a valley (obviously). Just like newer, concrete S tile, there is a point in which the row above overlaps the row below. Walking on this ridge or overlap is the only safe place to walk without breaking the tile. Caution MUST be used; they become very slick when wet and if stepped on wrong it will break. To be honest I have found traditional Spanish tile holds up better then newer S type because most is installed with better workmanship. I use 10% diluted according to the severity of the growth, with a surfactant added for cling. I apply it with a shur flow and rinse it from the ground. Here’s a pic of one I recently did. This one is considered traditional Spanish in my area. If you can see it you’ll see how deep the peaks and valleys are.

[eric 14]

use a 10% what?

[squirtgun 122]

use a 10% what?

10% pool chlorine.

[TNTPW 14]

Hey Eric, Where are you at in San antonio, I am move to the north east side in about a month or so and i am moving my business up there. We should hook up some time and talk..

Henry, Yes you did talk to me yesterday. We talked about barell tile tho. I will try to explain this tile, then i will go take a picture. I have to go out and do a few things. Well let me not explain. I will just go take a picture. It is to late now because i have already rented a lift to do this one but if i can walk on it i am saving 175 bucks. I will go take a picture right now and get back with you guys.

[TNTPW 14]

Here is a picture of the stuff i promised. Let me know what you think and if you would walk on it.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Hey Travis,

Rod here...

I grew up where this style of roof was common and it can be a problem if you do walk on it because the tile can break under the weight of a human.

Most times, the person who needs to get up on the roof will have to work from a ladder and spray from the top down because anything you get up under these tiles goes directly to the under coat which is usually tar paper. Spanish tiled roofing is difficult at best to say the least.

There are support systems for working on repairing these roofs but not sure where in texas you could find them. I lived in Arizona growing up and worked on installing them.

1st, you need to do a test patch to see what is on the roof, mildew, road smog, carbon...whatever. Then use the appropriate cleaner to do the rest of the roof. Just avoid the acids. Spanish tile is molded with red clay and other components to make it hold its shape somewhat like cement. It will hold up well to most cleaning processes but not high pressure. Sodium hydroxide will cause damage to the tar paper and break it down. Use caution if you take anyone elses advice regarding this chemical!

Rick G is on the right track :)

Hope this helps!

Rod~

:seeya:

[Henry B. 4]

Hey Rick and Rod,

The stuff in those pictures looks much thicker than the stuff I've seen around this area, About twice as thick actually. You may be able to walk on it but if you break it your going to have to pay to get it fixed. The stuff in my area is too thin to walk on and I've repaired it before from roofers walking on it..lol

I've used sodium hydroxide on this kind of material before and as long as you apply it without shooting it under the roofing onto the tar paper you should be fine. I used a foamer when I did it so there was very little pressure.

[Rick G 14]

To me that looks like what everyone here refers to as barrel tile. Like myself, Rod and others have said they will break easily, no doubt. I guess I am just so used to it by now, I can move around quickly and with confidence up there. The first two or three roofs I did I will admit to breaking a few although I don’t remember the last time I broke one. Rod is exactly right about applying from a ladder, but part of my service is repairing previously broken tile pieces, tightening loose ones and replacing whole tiles that are beyond repair. That’s why I walk on them. Sometimes the repair cost will exceed the cost of cleaning. Just incase you come across some broken pieces, or you happen to break one yourself, go to Home Depot where the caulk is located you will find 'Roof Tile Adhesive'. Simple. They are easy to put back together if you have the pieces. Tightening and replacing whole ones is a little harder and takes some skill. If they are nailed to the roof, which I have yet to see in four years, you must be a roofing contractor to repair them. If they are just snapped together, which I have been told is the proper way to allow for settling and movement, then you can make ‘aesthetic repairs’ to them, at least according to the State of FL. Check your local laws. If you can avoid walking on them like Rod and Henry said do so. Spray from a ladder. I might be a nut but I really enjoy working with this type of roof, that’s why I target them. Rick G

[TNTPW 14]

Thanks for the replys guys. I will do the safe thing on this one and rent that lift and see what i got. Most of the tile around here looks just like this. No one in my area cleans it. I will rent a lift to get me over the peek. There is another part of this doctors office that is pretty high and i do not like the idea of pressure washing and i ladder at the same time. I will get out on this one and try to walk around real careful, so i can get a feel for it. Maybe next time i can save some money on a lift. I do have another question about the chemicals. I think it was Rick that said i could use pool chlorine, that is just the pool stuff and water right, spray that on and let dweel then rinse of right. I will take before and after pictures of it and post it on here in this thread for all to see and i will share my expierence. Thanks again all.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Still, why risk damage by using SH when another chem that won't harm the tar paper will do the job just as well?

Sodium Hydroxide is not a good choice on roofs, period. Why? The nature of the chem is to break down petroleum based products such as tar paper, asphalt shingle, etc. How would the homeowner feel if they knew that you were applying a chem that would begin to degrade the roof making it more susceptible to leaks and so forth? Here's a question for you, how many people who use a product with SH in it, neutralize afterwards when washing a roof? What happens if you don't neut? Well, if you don't neutralize and use it on a roof, you are leaving that chem (albeit diluted) to reactivate when wet and slowly degrade the tar or asphalt. Try this... take a jar or can. Mix up your SH product of choice. Add a a pice of tar paper or asphalt shingle. Leave it in there and check every so often. What you have just created is basically a sped up version of what can happen. You may go back to the container to find your subject - gone.

Beth :groovy3:

[Chappy 138]

I too do mostly tile roofs and like Rick G, I target them. I also repair tiles as part of my service, and it helps me command a premium price. I explain in my estimate how many there are that are broken, smashed etc. and explain what I do to fix them. I almost always break 1 or 2 any way, no matter how careful I am so I keep the tile adhesive with me for every job. Along with Tile bond for the ones that have to be replaced or repositioned.

As for Sodium Hydrox damaging the underlayment. In Florida, the underlayment is 90 weight, over tar paper, Its hard to damage this stuff, and the diluted chemical that goes on gets rinsed thouroughly. You should be able to see what is there somewhere on the roof where there is a gap in the tiles. I just dont beleive chlorine cleans as well plus as hot as it is I dont want to worry about the plants being constantly rinsed off .

I aslo have not been able to clean a tile roof by x-jetting, they need direct pressure or the will not come clean. I know some of you find this crazy but I use a surface cleaner for all tile roofs except the full barrell tile type. Most every one in this area does. they do a fantastic job and even going back to do the valleys again by wand still takes me less time than just by wand only.

[TNTPW 14]

Rod, what type of chem would you use on this roof, as you can see from the picture, it is real real dirty. Also, the other guys, what is the name of that glue and where can i find some if i do get up there, because i rented alift, but i will get out and see if i can wal on it. thank in advance.

[Rick G 14]

Travis, I told you the name of the caulk in my last post. Please re read. Again I have to disagree- this time with Joe. Using ANY pressure on these roofs will damage the tile. Why? The tiles have a baked on topcoat that gives the tile a 'sheen' and enhances the colors. Some colors don’t even go all the way through the tile they are just baked onto the surface. When you use a surface cleaner or pressure on them you are destroying that coat. Can’t you feel the sand blowing up as you run your cleaner? Do you not see the red or whatever the color of the tile on the drive when your done? You may lower the pressure but to get the surface cleaner to spin at a high enough speed to be effective you still need pressure, too much in this case. You may see other cleaners doing it this way but it does not make it right. I see them all the time as well. It’s old school thinking. Also doing it the correct way is done in 1/3 of the time. Do the math. I don’t even start my pressure cleaner. In addition tile manufactures don’t recommend you use pressure. Why do you think you see ad’s for ‘no pressure’ or ‘low pressure’ roof cleaning? Consumers are starting to get educated on the effects of pressure on roofs. I have never destroyed any plant life doing this way. (knock on wood) But you must be cautious. It takes no at all time to wet down landscaping. You would be well advised to research the proper way, if not for your customers, for your bottom line. The above picture was done with no pressure. The gross take on that roof was $110.00 per hour.

As to Sodium Hydroxide cleaners on roofs. Rod is 100% correct. I can’t figure out why this just isn’t common sense to people. They will degrade the roofing materials. Period. Noticeably? Maybe not. Over time? Absolutely. Will it come back to bite you? Probably not, but way take that chance with your customers?

[Chappy 138]

THe glue is called TILE BOND from DuPont, you can pick it up at a roofing supply company, cost 9-12 a can that will do 50 tiles. use very little. it expands a lot! I end up taking a scraper to cut off the stuff that pushes out from underneath. dries in 10 minutes so you dont have to come back. I only use it if the tiles are completely loose or sliding off. I got 2 tiles and put a quarter size dab on them to see how it works. It also doesnt have a long shelf life after its opened. 3 days I think. DONT buy the big can!! find some one that has the aerosol. be advised, It will not come off of clothing once it gets on.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I would have to know what is on it before I could answer that question...

[TNTPW 14]

Ok here is some results, i went out and did a test spot today with like 6 differnt chemical mixes that i have heard of on this board to see which one would work and which one i would like best to work with. The stuff on the ruff, it algea, and just caked on dirt, it is right off a major highway so it gets a lot of road dirt. I found a nice mix that i made up that did a good job on it.

[Henry B. 4]

Hey Travis,

What chemical worked the best?

As for the comments on using SH, I never said to use it on asphalt shingle roofs. It can be used on slate and the tile roofs were talking about on this thread as long as it does not stay on the tar paper. If done carefully and properly that won't happen. If you try shooting it on with an x jet yes, it will get to the tar paper but if your using a foamer and you don't shoot at the roof but let it fall like rain you have nothing to fear.

I'm not going to argue the point, anyone can use whatever they like but I've been doing roof repairs and pressure washing for 15 years now and I've learned how to mix the two types of work without causing problems. There is one thing I don't recall seeing listed on the use of any chemicals though. Wet down the roof and gutters first. If you apply a chemical to a hot roof it will dry almost instantly. No matter what chemical you choose to use, make sure your spray is traveling down the roofline at all times. Never acrossed or expecially up the roofline. Also make sure you inspect the roof for nail pops, torn vent pipe gaskets or flashing that needs to be sealed. These items can be fixed as an add on repair but don't clean the roof if they arent fixed first. Or you will be paying for drywall repairs and painting at the very least.

[TNTPW 14]

Well henry, It was a home made brew, i took pool chlorine, and jomax and mixed it and then tried it. It worked about but not to my desire, the i used jomax and HS it it worked great, looks like i will be using that from now on. Thanks for all the help here guys and girls.

[Rick G 14]

Good advice, Henry, no matter what you use.

[Chappy 138]

Your right henry,

Chemical needs to be sprayed downhill only.

Another thing to check is sky lights.. Found one the other day with 4 nails only holding it on. No caulk or any sealant. fortunately the homeowner warned me, so I fixed it before starting.

[Thomas 14]

Awsome site and very informative:]

I live in Florida and we get many calls to wash these kinds of roofs.

I have tried both ways of washing them. I have an electric flow pump

on my trailor and I mix up a 50/50 wash of pool chloro/all purpose and H2O.

I can project the wash from a ladder or from the ground and cover the roof

from top to the bottom. With this I have to spend lots of time watering and I run regular garden sprinklers in the spots I feel the plants need the most attention. The roof tiles would have to look brittle and loose for me to use this method. I find on the same job this method yields sub par results and takes 2x as long. You fight rinse marks and some spots just dont come clean.

If the tiles (which is about 90% of the time) look like they are solid and the roof is safe for pressure washing, I use my surface cleaner. I find this method to be just as safe as I have never had a problem with either methods and extremely faster, yielding an absolute hands down better looking wash. I worked for a roofer when I was in college so I know how to walk and working on the roof comes easy to me. I just washed a four townhome building and it had flat cement sunrise coloerd tiles. I used my surface cleaner and then rinsed it with a light chloro solution. I had one corner tile fall that I told them would possibly fall and I repaired it for them and gave them a replacement tile in case they ever needed it. I wouldnt have even considered chemical washing this and I had zero decolorization on the tiles. The project took me two days by myself and I would say four by chemical wash. Shingle roofs are the only ones I chemical wash. What would some of you all have down with the townhome project? I dont see why using a surface cleaner harms cement or barrel tile roofs. Older beat upt tiles ya...

[Rick G 14]

To each his own. I have done it both ways, well many ways, and FOR ME, chem is much better. I could smoke someone with a surface cleaner on the same roof. My bottom line has jumped up significally after changing my way of doing roofs. Thats whats great about the good ol USA. Differance of opinions. Good luck.

[Thomas 14]

Cool, I will try my next tile roof with a chemical wash and see if my technique

needs some polishing.

I did a 1700 sq foot home (shingle) yesterday. The roof was 11 years old and had a lot of mold on it. Needless to say I used my flow pump and a garden hose.

I got a late start and started at 2pm...I fineshed the roof and begin my ground work clean up/watering at around 6. Roof looks brand new:]

Thanks

[Rick G 14]

Here a 1700 sq ft one story shingle roof would get between $100-150. If it took me four hours I would pass out. That roof would take me about an hour and a half- two hours worst case. Thats from pulling up in the drive to driving off. I dont understand how it could take you that long. You say 'flow pump' What kind specifically? What gpm and psi. Do you have it on a cart or mounted on your rig with the hose on a reel? (like I do) How big is you chem tank? You said you use 50/50 mix. Did you ever try a stonger mix? I adjust my mix to the point where after I apply it, within 10 min the mold 'dissapers'. Then I flood the roof with water to get most excess off. More info and I may be able to help. Rick G