This Old House

Roof Tiles & Richard's Water Story

Back in Los Angeles, host Kevin O'Connor arrives to find the new clay roof tiles on site as well as the custom windows and doors, which are made of wood and single-glazed to keep a historic look. They meet the strict California energy codes with a combination of tempered glass and Low-E coatings. Roofing contractor John Dybas returns to show Kevin the plan they've come up with for the new roof: using the roof tiles from the old house for the perimeter of the new roof only where they can be seen from the street. The rest of the field will be new, manufactured two-pan tile to cut down on costs. Down in Corona, California, Kevin sees how piles of clay and sand are mixed with water and fire to produce our roof tiles. Back in Silver Lake, John shows Kevin the polypropylene underlayment he's using, the flashing details, and how his expert crew sets the tiles along the ridges using nails, mortar, and hand tools. Out on the reservoir, the director of operations for the LADWP, Marty Adams, shows plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey how the neighborhood landmark has been providing LA with drinking water, and why it is being taken offline. Up in Griffith Park, they go thirty-five feet below ground to see the new infrastructure going in that will supply the city with water in the future. Back at the house, stucco specialist Alfonso Garcia evaluates the condition of our stucco, which he'll be working on next time.