On Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:27:56 -0400, "dadiOH"
wrote:

JRStern wrote:
1930s spanish roof tiles, one broken from a tree branch or something,
letting in a littl rain.

Me, not entirely a newbie home repair guy, but close.

Is there some halfway reasonable way to stick this back in place, or
if not, what are the odds that even a roofing pro would be able to do
much better?

True Spanish tile? Clay with a "U" shaped one and two upside down "U"s with
the legs in the first?

Surely, even in the 30s, they used a membrane under the tiles (don't know,
asking)? If so and you are getting a leak, the membrane needs to be
repaired.

After repairing the membrane or if there is none (I have seen such) I'd
remove the broken tile and replace it with a new one.

I guess it's "true", and I think your description sounds like the
structure, and yes there's heavy tar paper underneath, but if that
broken tile has shifted again and some water got in, it may have
flowed who knows where before finding a hole in the tar paper, etc.

I'm sure replacing the tile in good order is best advice. I do notice
there are gobs of mortar sticking together other tiles, in a not
entirely clear pattern. Again, I presume it follows whatever was
common practice back then for a medium-sized Cecil Adams (architect,
Santa Monica and Long Beach, CA c. 1930) house.

But I'm still looking for a solution somewhere north of duct tape and
south of tearing up and rebuilding a whole section of roof and trying
to find matching replacement tiles.

Thanks.

J.