I live in BC Canada , and we do see them never heard of anyone having trouble but they are rare but I think that has to do with the cost of them.

@SQUEEKY2 -They’re not cheap so I can see that being prohibitive.
I know there are certain clays that supposedly withstand the extreme temps.They are rated by their shrinkage & absorption rate.
I made some address tiles to try this out. If they fail, I won’t know where I live. Lol!

I am in the northern states and have a few tile roofs in my neighborhood. Cracking is almost always due to a villain being chased by James Bond or a Marvel comics super hero across roof tops so I think a tile roof in Gotham City would not be a good idea.

@Vignette-Excellent advice, right there! lol

There is no shortage of clay tile roofs in Bergen and other Scandinavian cities, including far north of the Arctic Circle such as Tromso.

@Yellowdog -That’s right!

I don’t know much about them but if what @Yellowdog is true, then cost must be the main reason we don’t see them as much in North America.

@SQUEEKY2 -I just read this: Tile Roofing Prices. On average, tile roofs cost $700 to $800 per square to install, though they can cost anywhere between $400 and $1,000 per square. Tiles come in clay or concrete but can be shaped in many different ways even to the point of looking like wood shake.

Then I read this:
Slate roofs can cost as much as $60—$80 per square foot. $80×1,200 square feet = $96,000. With the labor costs, that’s going to surge up over $100,000!
Holy shit.

They will last 300+ years, though.

They can probably withstand all but the heaviest hail damage.

@Yellowdog I wonder why the cost is so high for clay?
(300 years hardly seems durable! LOL)

I prefer painted steel roofs.
Once installed you just forget about it.
Though I have never heard anyone complain about a tile roof either.

@SQUEEKY2 – The only problem I am aware of is putting a roof intended for things such as pole barns on a home. Something with leakage near the screw holes.

You see homes up here with the steel roofs, and as long as they are installed properly there is no worry about leakage.

@SQUEEKY2 -Apparently they didn’t have the same gaskets.The metal roof does make sense.

I like a lot of roofing materials, but have heard that the real problem is if you have too many different pitches and valleys, such as dormers. Simple roofs have no character, in my opinion.

@SQUEEKY2 is absolutely right about metal roofs. They look great and will last forever if kept painted. Slate and Tile look great on old-world style houses but are a major expense. They are an expensive but perfect finishing touch if finances allow it.

@Yellowdog -The roofs on some of the homes in Carmel,CA are outstanding.