NRCA Tile Installer study plan

Identify the fall-protection threshold heights and duty categories that trigger guardrail, safety-net, or personal fall-arrest use on tile roofs, and state which system applies to a given pitch and eave condition.

Demonstrate correct inspection and donning sequence for a full-body harness, lanyard, and anchor point, listing three defects that require removing a component from service.

Locate and describe the required placement of roof jacks, staging planks, and ladder tie-offs for a two-story tile tear-off, including toe board and debris-chute setup.

Explain how valley, step, and counterflashing interfaces create water-entry paths, and sketch the correct lap sequence where a sidewall flashing meets a tile field.

Evaluate roof deck conditions against acceptance criteria for sheathing thickness, fastener spacing, and deflection, and list the corrective actions for each deficiency found.

Compare tile underlayment options by material, weight, and intended slope range, and select the correct product for a 4:12 and a 2.5:12 application.

Classify clay, concrete, and interlocking tile by body type, water absorption, and breakage pattern, and state where each is appropriate.

Identify the ASTM and code references that govern tile quality, freeze-thaw durability, and fastening, and explain what each standard actually controls.

Detail the correct installation sequence for valley flashing, pan flashing, and counterflashing on a chimney, including height above the roof surface and weep provisions.

Explain how to flash a plumbing vent, skylight curb, and sidewall penetration through a tile roof, and describe how tile is cut and nested around each.

Describe the role of a batten or counter-batten system in drainage and how it interacts with underlayment laps and flashing terminations.

Diagnose three common water-intrusion failure modes at penetrations and state the corrective detail for each.

Lay out a roof for tile using course gauge, side lap, and coverage calculations, and verify the layout against a given roof plan with hips and valleys.

Specify the correct fastener type, length, and penetration depth for tile attachment on a wood deck, and state when adhesive or mortar setting replaces mechanical fastening.

Detail the installation of eave closure, rake trim, hip and ridge tile, and open or closed valley treatment, and explain the order of operations for each.

Explain how valley lining width and tile cutting at the valley centerline differ between open and woven valleys, and select the correct approach for a given tile profile.

Distinguish steep-slope from low-slope tile applications by slope break, and state the underlayment and attachment requirements that change at that break.

Describe a low-slope tile assembly over a membrane or hot-applied system, including how tile is adhered or set and how movement is accommodated.

Explain how snow guard, eave ice-dam protection, and high-wind fastening requirements change the attachment plan on steep-slope tile roofs.

Rehearse a rescue-from-height plan for a worker suspended in fall arrest, and list the post-fall-arrest steps required before returning equipment to service.

Perform a systematic roof inspection and document findings by defect type: cracked tile, slipped tile, failed flashing, deteriorated underlayment, and fastener corrosion.

Write a repair scope for a localized leak that identifies the minimum removal area, matching tile sourcing, and the flashing steps required to restore the assembly.

Read a roof plan and section drawing to extract slope, ridge and valley locations, penetration count, and flashing details, and convert those into a takeoff.

Calculate tile quantity, underlayment square footage, and fastener counts from a takeoff, applying waste factors appropriate to roof complexity.

Map each major code requirement for tile roofing to its source and explain what an inspector will check on site for that requirement.

Resolve three code-compliance conflicts between manufacturer instructions and local code, and state the governing rule and documentation needed.

Re-derive the flashing and fastening details from weeks 3 and 4 without notes, and correct any errors found in your own earlier work.

Explain the permit and inspection sequence for a tile reroof, including what must be visible at each inspection stage.

Complete a full-length timed practice exam and score each domain separately to identify remaining weak areas.

Re-teach your two weakest domains from memory using your own notes, then verify against source material and correct misconceptions.

Review all deliverables from weeks 1 through 7 and consolidate them into a single indexed reference you can study from in the final days.

Build a test-day plan covering arrival, materials allowed, time allocation per question, and a strategy for flagging and returning to uncertain items.