Keeping your roof in working order is essential if you want to protect your home from the elements. While a professional inspection is a good idea at least once a year, there are some things you can spot yourself.

One of those is certainly a missing roof tile. You’ll be able to spot missing roof tiles from ground level, with some tiles even falling off the roof to alert you to the problem. Sound familiar? You’ll no doubt be wondering whether a leak is the next step. Read on as we take a closer look.

What causes missing or slipped tiles?

There are a few different causes of missing tiles or slates on your roof. The first is obviously weather. When wind and rain gets high and heavy, it can pull tiles out of their place, especially if they weren’t fixed in securely.

Secondly there’s the possibility of nails wearing away. The nails that hold your tiles or slates in place can eventually rust and wear away, leaving them too weak to hold the tiles. In some cases, tiles can even slip out of place because the wood has weakened. Water damage to roof battens, for instance, means there’s less integrity holding onto the tiles.

Will it cause a leak?

The short answer is yes. A missing roof tile can definitely cause a leak in your roof. Even if it doesn’t leave a visible gap in your roof’s covering, that missing tile creates a break in the roof which the weather can penetrate.

It’s also worth considering the knock-on effect. Allowing wind and rain to penetrate your roof makes other tiles more susceptible to damage. You could soon see more tiles slipping out place, which will only increase the cost of repair.

Alternatively, you might see more tiles slipping out of place simply because of the root cause. If it’s down to corroded nails or wood damage, there’s nothing stopping other tiles slipping for the same reason.

Fixing the problem

With all that in mind, it’s definitely worth having your roof inspected if you spot any missing tiles. Repairing your roof could be as simple as replacing the tile, or you could need a few replacing and fixing back in place.

However, you might also need a full re-roof to stop the problem reoccurring. On many old roofs, the tiles have been back-pointed to hold them in place and eventually this wears away, causing several tiles or slates to slip out of place over a few months or years. It’s usually much easier and could even save you money on repairs if you bite the bullet and get the full roof redone.

Missing tiles in Wakefield

Based locally in Wakefield, DPR Roofing can provide fast, efficient repairs for your missing tiles. Whether it’s one, several or a recurring problem, we’ll identify the root cause and make sure the problem is fully rectified.

Call us on 01924 255 677 to arrange an inspection for your roof with a no-obligation quote from our experts.