In this article, we’ll show you how to remove roof tiles. It’s actually quite simple — follow the steps below! First, lift the tile that is overlapping the broken one. Use a pry bar to raise it. Keep the pry bar near the broken tile. Then, use a hammer to pry the broken tile away from the rest of the tiles. Repeat as necessary. The final step is to carefully lift the broken tile from the roof.
The broken tile cannot be nailed back into place because the original fixing nails are hidden behind the bottom edge. Hence, the replacement tile must be secured using a tingle, which is a piece of lead sheet measuring 300mm in length and 15mm in width. Once the replacement tile is inserted into the tingle, slide it downwards. Be careful not to disturb overlapping tiles. After sliding the tile down, cut off the nails with a cold chisel.
After removing the moss, clean the roof of the tiles using a wire brush or a small trowel with a pointed end. Scrape off dirt, moss, and algae from the outside edge of each tile. Afterwards, you can clean the tiles by removing the moss and fungus. If you have concrete/clay tiles or slate tiles, you can clean them easily by removing the moss from the inside of the tiles using this method.
After removing the broken tile from the underlying tiles, you must carefully remove it from the roof by lifting it up with a pry bar. Next, you need to remove the overlapping tiles in order to get to the broken tile. After doing this, you can use a pry bar to remove nails from the overhanging tiles. Then, you can slide a new tile into its place.
To replace damaged tiles, be sure to buy the same type of tile. You don’t want to end up damaging your roof by choosing the wrong tile. A sample of the tiles can help you choose the right ones. Once you’ve removed the old tile, you can then secure your ladder against the edge of the roof and slide a new row of tiles over the broken one. You can also secure the tile with a hammer handle or a wooden wedge.
To remove the nails, first lift the tile from underneath. If you’re removing one tile, you might notice a nail in the middle of it. You should remove the nail before proceeding to the next. Otherwise, you may damage your roof even more! If you’re not careful, you might end up breaking a tile or exposing a nail. Hence, you must remove the nails as quickly as possible. When you’ve completed the first course, work your way up to the next. If you don’t know what nails to remove, focus DIY sells inexpensive mini crowbars with a V cut.
Removing and replacing roof tiles is a straightforward task — if you’re confident with a ladder and don’t mind getting up on the roof, you’ll find it easier! The next step is removing neighboring tiles and nailed down tiles. Regardless of the type of tile you have to remove, it’s important to be safe — always ensure you have stable access to the roof and avoid unnecessary risks. Avoid working on a roof during windy or wet day.