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Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs

Jeffrey Havelin, P.E.


Course Outline

The purpose of this (One-Hour) course is to provide the architect or engineer with a fundamental understanding and a technical knowledge of historic clay tile roofs.

Historic roofs are being improperly repaired or replaced with alternative roofing materials, to the detriment of the historic integrity and appearance of the structure. Increased knowledge of the characteristics of Historic Clay Tiles and its detailing and installation on the roof can lead to more sensitive interventions in which original material is preserved and the building's historic character maintained.

This course will review the history of clay roofing tiles and will include a description of the many types and shapes of historic tiles, as well as their different methods of attachment.

A complete internal and external inspection of the roof structure and the roof covering is recommended to determine condition, potential causes of failure, or source of leaks, and will help in developing a program for the preservation and repair of the tile roof. Before initiating any repair work on historic clay tile roofs, it is important to identify those qualities important in contributing to the historic significance and character of the building.

This course is based entirely on the web version of the National Park Service Preservation Brief 30 which is entitled “The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs” as published by the National Park Service- U.S. Department of the Interior.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.


Learning Objective

This course will specifically review the history of roofing materials and will provide an understanding of Historic Clay Tile roofs:


Intended Audience

This course would be very informative for Architects or Professional Engineers that are involved with historic buildings.


Benefit to the Attendees

This course recommends various measures that will provide an increased knowledge of the characteristics of historic clay tile roofs. Proper detailing and installation of historic roofing materials can lead to more sensitive interventions and the building's historic character maintained.


Course Introduction

The primary focus of this course has been to provide an increased knowledge of historic clay tile roofing; their correct detailing and installation on the roof can ensure the original material is preserved and the building's historic character maintained. Along with a thorough understanding of any written history of the building, a physical investigation of the roofing and its structure may reveal information about the roof's construction history.

Details contributing to the character of historic clay tile roofs are described and guidance is offered on maintenance and the degree of intervention required at various levels of deterioration.


Course Content

This course is based entirely on the web version of the National Park Service Preservation Brief 30 which is entitled “The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs” as published by the National Park Service- U.S. Department of the Interior.

The link to the course materials is as follows:

Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs

(http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief30.htm)

Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience any difficulty in downloading or opening this file, you may need to close some applications or reboot your computer to free up some memory.


Course Summary

The primary role of the consultant is to ensure the life of the building, a knowledge of historic construction techniques and the special problems found in older buildings is essential. The consultant must assist the owner in planning for logistical problems relating to research and construction. It is the consultant's responsibility to determine the best ways to ensure that the character of the original clay tile roof material is preserved and maintained.


Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.