A strong gust of wind can lift a roof tile clean off in a fraction of a second, and it is a genuinely common sight across Downend after a windy night: a neighbour's garden, or your own, scattered with tile fragments that clearly came from somewhere above. Understanding why this happens, and what to do about it, helps homeowners respond sensibly rather than panicking unnecessarily, since most cases turn out to be a straightforward repair.
Tiles are held in place by a combination of their own weight, interlocking with neighbouring tiles, and in many cases a nib or nail fixing at the top edge. Over time, nail fixings can corrode, mortar bedding around ridge and verge tiles can crack, and the natural movement of a roof through seasonal temperature changes can gradually loosen tiles that were originally secure. When wind then gets underneath a tile that has already loosened this way, it does not take an especially severe storm to lift it free. Roofs that face the prevailing wind direction, or that sit in a slightly more exposed position on higher ground, tend to see this happen a little more often than more sheltered properties nearby.
A missing tile leaves an obvious gap in the roof's weatherproofing, which is a problem in itself, but it also changes how neighbouring tiles behave, since the interlocking system that keeps a tiled roof secure relies on every tile being present and correctly positioned. This is part of why a single missing tile after one storm can sometimes be followed by several more coming loose in the next, as the surrounding tiles become more exposed to wind uplift. Neighbouring tiles that have shifted slightly out of alignment, without actually falling, are worth securing at the same time as any obvious replacement.
Once tiles are found missing on a Downend property, the priority is arranging a repair reasonably promptly, since the exposed gap allows water directly onto the underlay beneath, and from there potentially into the roof structure if left for an extended period, particularly during a wet spell. Replacing missing tiles is usually straightforward provided a reasonably close match can be found, though on older or less common tile types this occasionally takes a little more care.
It is worth having the wider roof checked at the same time as replacing missing tiles, rather than assuming the damage is limited to what fell, since loosened but not yet dislodged tiles nearby are often worth securing before the next storm rather than after. Addressing them together in one visit is usually more cost-effective than dealing with each one separately as it eventually comes loose.
Brunel Roofing Bristol replaces missing and damaged tiles across Downend, with free inspections available to check the wider condition of the roof and a 15-year guarantee on completed repair work, giving lasting peace of mind long after the storm itself has passed.
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