Tiled roof

A tiled roof is the traditional pitched roof covered with clay tiles. The tiles sit on a timber frame or a slopingFalls (drainage slope)The gentle slope built into flat roofs, balconies and bathroom floors so water runs to the drain or gutter instead of pooling. concrete slab, usually over a waterproof underlay and insulationThermal insulationA layer of material that lets heat through only slowly, so a home keeps its warmth in winter and stays cool in summer.. The tiles shed most of the water, but the real protection is in the layers beneath.

Common problems are broken or slipped tiles, ridges that have lost their mortar, blocked guttersGutter and downpipeThe channel and pipe that collect rainwater from a roof and carry it down to the ground or the drains. and timbers rottedWood rotDecay of wood caused by fungi when it stays damp for a long time. Rotten wood goes soft, gives when pressed or crumbles, and can't be saved with paint. by leaks. The spot where a tiled roof meets a flat roofFlat roof (roof terrace)The flat concrete roof on top of a building. It is the most common kind of roof in Greece and the part that takes the most sun and rain. or a wall needs particular care, because all the water from the roof ends up there.

Tiles break easily when stepped on, so inspections are done carefully. If the tiles are sound but the roof still leaks, the usual answer is to lift them, lay a new underlay and put the same tiles back.