Do Slate Roofs Ever Need To Be Repaired?
Slate roofs have quite a reputation. Since the material is pulled straight from the earth itself and applied directly to a roof, it can be extremely heavy and expensive to install. On the plus side though, they're extremely durable, and can stand up to just about any type of fire, water, or animal that may walk over its surface. Additionally, hard slate roofs have been known to last up to 200 years before needing to be replaced.
So does that mean you'll never have to perform any kind of slate roofing repair at all? Unfortunately, for all of its claims to durability, there are still issues that can arise with your slate roof just like every other type material on the market. Below are a few of the most common; if you see any of them, contact a roofer immediately.
Lost Shingles
As mentioned above, slate roofing is an incredibly durable substance, but it can also be very heavy. As such, it's not liable to be blown away by the wind or a strong storm. What is more likely to happen is that the fasteners that have joined the shingle to the roof can wedge loose over time, causing individual shingles to fall to the ground. Fortunately, this type of repair is relatively simple; all you need to do is contact a roofer to replace the shingles.
Exposed Nail Pops
A shift in your foundation can affect every part of your house, including your roof. But your foundation isn't the only thing that can cause your house to shift; even slight vibrations over time can cause the fasteners to come loose and even poke through the slate itself. All it takes is a simple tap on the top of the rock to expose the nail pops underneath, and potentially allow a water leak to pass through. If you see this during a visual inspection of your roof, schedule a slate roofing repair service to have it fixed in order to restore the structural integrity of your home.
Sagging Support Beams
Since slate is heavy, it can put a lot of pressure on your support beams underneath the roofing material over time. These can crack or even snap completely in half, so while your roof itself may still be intact, it's only a matter of time before it fails completely. You'll need a professional roofer to reinforce the support beams to support a substance like slate, since this type of problem will only get worse with time.
Contact a slate roofing repair company for more information.