How To Best Maintain Your Slate Roof

The 21st century began on January 1, 2001, since we had no year 0. This means the 22nd century will start on Saturday, January 1, 2100. Mark your calendars! Well, maybe not, but your slate roof will be around in 81 years to ring in the new Millenium.  

Maintaining Slate

For a roofing material that is at least 200 million years old, slate asks for very little maintenance. A slate roof maintenance guide may only have three words: Get an annual inspection.

Keeping your slate roof looking beautiful is a matter for professionals. 

Once you understand that any roofing material is part of a roofing system, you can see how slate roofs need occasional maintenance, but for safety’s sake, do not attempt a climb onto your home’s slate roof. Leave that work to professionals for three reasons:

• Safety equipment
• Proper training
• Liability

If a local, dependable roofing company performs inspection and maintenance on your slate roof, the crew will use fall arrest equipment, work knowledgeably, and assume liability for possible damage to the slate. If you attempt to navigate a slippery, steep-slope slate roof, you could find yourself in the hospital!

Annual Inspection

For many homeowners with slate roofs, an annual inspection is the only maintenance needed. Slate is extremely durable, not prone to suffer from expansion and contraction from heat and cold, and is naturally water-resistant. 

Annual inspection means a professional, trained roofer will:

• Examine the individual slate tiles for broken or slipped pieces
• Inspect fasteners and bibs
• Pay close attention to the roof ridges
• Check flashings in valleys and around chimneys

A good roofer will also inspect the underside of the slate from within the attic, if it is visible, to check for delamination (when thin layers slough off), a sign of potential future problems. 

Gutters and downspouts, as parts of your roofing system, will be checked, too. From ridge to gutter, your slate roof works together to keep your home warm and dry. 

Repair

Repairing slate is straightforward for a well-trained roofer. The problematic slate piece is carefully removed and replaced with another suitable color. Correct fasteners (such as copper bibs and galvanized steel nails) are used to install the new slate. 

For professional, correct maintenance of your home’s slate roof, contact us at Stevens Roofing Corporation. We know slate roofs, we respect history, and we can keep your slate roof going into the 22nd century.