How do you fix roof tiles at the edge of the roof?

Why edges fail first

The rake edge takes more wind uplift than the middle of the roof, and it is where wind-driven rain hits hardest. On clay and concrete tile roofs, older edge tiles were often bedded in mortar, which cracks as the house moves and lets tiles slip. On asphalt shingle roofs, which cover most Georgia homes, the same problem shows up as shingles peeling back along the rake because the starter strip or edge sealing was skipped.

Fixing tile edges

1. Remove the loose or broken rake tile carefully. Tile is brittle, so step only where the tile is supported, or use foam pads, to avoid cracking field tiles.
2. Check the rake board, fascia or batten underneath. Soft or rotted wood must be replaced first or fasteners will not hold.
3. Reset the tile, or a matching new one, with stainless or corrosion-resistant fasteners into solid wood, following the manufacturer's instructions for your profile.
4. Replace cracked mortar with fresh mortar, or switch to a mechanical edge system if your tile line offers one.

Fixing shingle edges

A shingle roof edge should have drip edge metal, a starter course along the rake, and the end shingles bonded to that starter. Lifted edge shingles can be resealed with roofing cement if they are not creased; creased or torn ones should be replaced. If the edge peels after every storm, the starter course is probably missing, which is a reroofing issue rather than a patch.

Edges are also where wind damage starts, so look at them after every big blow.