New fixes for old woes on roofs with concrete tiles

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Q: Is it true that concrete-tile roofs can leak water sideways in valleys? Many people have told me that expensive maintenance is needed every couple of years to prevent leakage problems, especially in heavily treed areas. They have said it may be necessary to periodically remove all the tiles near the valleys for cleaning, costing thousands of dollars! I am considering a concrete-tile roof and have heard stories about incorrect installation or maintenance leading to these problems, and want to avoid problems. Can you provide some help here?

A: Glen Paine, an owner of Tile Technology Roofing, tells me new tile-manufacturing techniques have eliminated these past problems.

"Lugs" that hold individual tiles in position have a tendency to back up debris beneath the tiles, eventually spilling over the raised edge of the valley metal, causing lateral leakage. The theory was that the tighter the tiles were in the valleys, the less debris would get beneath the tile, so many were built tightly against the center of the valley.

Unfortunately, this may have been better in theory than in practice. Even more-open valleys exhibited problems with debris. In the past, the only way to eliminate this backup of debris and leakage potential was to physically remove the tiles in the area and clean beneath periodically.

Obviously, this could get expensive. The pitch of the roof, the skill of the installer and the amount of debris from trees makes each roof different in its maintenance needs. As a preventative measure, some roofing companies may have used extra-cost "batten extenders" or "peel and stick" beyond the confines of the valley metal to lessen the chance of leakage and/or the damage caused by leakage at tar-paper tears and overlaps.

Monier, the manufacturer of a very large share of concrete-tile roofs in our area (and other manufacturers), has eliminated the lugs on their valley tile, using a completely different system, thus preventing the problem and the necessary maintenance.

It is possible to retrofit existing roofs by removing the lugs if possible, replacing the valley tile, or by adding batten extenders. Leakage at valleys typically manifests behind gutters, appearing to be an actual gutter leak, according to Paine.

Paine strongly suggests getting concrete-tile roofs inspected regularly for integrity and function, a little-known manufacturer recommendation as well.

Q: I have heard of problems using breakers as switches, as you suggested, to turn a water heater on and off. They may heat up and have caused fires.

A: Electrical-panel manufacturers recommend that breakers be exercised regularly. While breakers are not necessarily rated as switches, I have yet to come across any definitive evidence that using a breaker twice a day will cause any damage or pose a hazard. If anyone knows anything different, let me know.

The heating breaker and fire problem in my experience has been more a result of very old and worn breakers and panels. If switching it on and off causes it to get hot, then, by golly, you probably should be thinking about a new system. It's the system, not the behavior here.

For another look at this situation, see the next question.

Q: I am calling in regard to turning off the power to an electric water heater when the hot water is not needed. Rather than turn the power off at the breaker manually, I installed a timer that turns the power off after I leave for work and back on an hour before I arrive home. It works well, except that it makes a ticking noise, which can be irritating.

A: Available at pool- and spa-supply stores, electrical distributors and hardware retailers, these timers start at around $35 for the basic model and go up to $250 for digital models with programming capabilities. All have manual-override switches, many with multiple timing options.

Darrell Hay answers readers' questions. Call 206-464-8514 to record your question. Or e-mail dhay@seattletimes.com. Sorry, no personal replies.