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CONNEXION READER SHARES A HARD LESSON ON MAKING SURE YOUR CANAL TILES ARE ARE CORRECTLY POSITIONED To the Editor, Nick Inman wrote an interesting article on canal roof tiles, but he missed

one point! Canal tiles must be laid in a specific manner – namely, tiles higher up the roof must overlap those further down.  WHAT REPAIRING OUR FRENCH FARMHOUSE TAUGHT ME ABOUT TILING I

point this out because I paid for ‘professional’ roofers to clean and fix my roof. All the tiles they moved/replaced were the wrong way around and the first time it rained my roof was like a

shower. Read more:  Roof tile shortages delay building projects and repairs in France Luckily, my son and I were able to get up underneath the tiles, in the loft, and slide the tiles into

the correct positions. There is one other thing I would like to pass on. Some of my tiles were still cracked or broken.  As I am not able to get on to the roof to fix them, I found that by

cutting and flattening the foil boxes usually used for freezing foods, you could fashion a very thin ‘tile’ to slide under the problem tile. A waterproof solution.  Ross Anderson, by email

Nick Inman replies: I am grateful to this reader for emphasising the need to overlap tiles and for reminding people that even if you get a pro in to do a job, it is wise to know how it

should be done in case you are let down.  Let me add one observation: keep tinkered repairs to a troublesome old roof to a minimum or you might inadvertently create new problems. Sometimes

there is no alternative to replacing tiles.