Melbourne Slate Roof Services
MELBOURNE’S UNIQUE VICTORIAN
& EDWARDIAN PERIOD HOMES
Melbourne’s inner suburbs are today blessed with many heritage buildings constructed in the mid, through to late, 19th and early 20th century. The design of these homes is very specific to Melbourne. Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart or any other capital city in Australia also has their share of early Australian architecture but they all have differences which make them unique to their area.
Melbourne’s original period homes are unique to our city
They were not built anywhere else in the world.
If you’ve ever got a little spare time take a walking tour of any of Melbourne’s older mid to late 19th century suburbs and you’re sure to see some really nice original and restored homes from that era.
You’ll see early through to late Victorian, traditional Edwardian, Australiana Edwardian, Queen Anne style and even a few gothic Victorian houses.
When these homes are in groups together it’s almost like being back in a bygone era. Many of these homes have roofs built from slate roofing tiles.
Some are still in original condition, some have been restored and others have new, recently installed slate, that matches closely their original slate.
There was a certain period during mainly the 60’s 70’s and 80’s when the fashion was to re-roof these homes with modern terracotta and concrete roof tiles.
Thankfully this era has passed and now home owners realise the benefits and added value to their homes by continuing to use slate for their roofs.
The Enemy Of Your Period Home Is Water Penetration
The biggest enemy of your Victorian or Edwardian house is water.
Either by rising damp – through your foundations and brick footings, or falling damp – through leaking flashings or damaged slates on your roof. Rising damp is a common problem and in some cases very difficult to manage or stop.
Building methods of the time and a lack of quality damp proof course materials during that era contributes greatly to the problem today. Internal paint blistering and staining, wallpaper and plaster peeling and flaking from walls up to a metre from the floor level, are all indicative of rising damp. There’s often a strong musky damp odor also present around suspect areas.
Outside, bricks at or near ground level go chalky and powdery and if damp enough for a long period, can completely delaminate and fall apart.
LEAKING SLATE ROOFS CAN SPELL THE END FOR PERIOD HOMES
Leaking slate roofs cause what’s commonly referred to as” falling damp”.
There are either broken or damaged slates on your roof or the slates themselves are soft and porous and allowing water to seep through.
On the other hand good, hard, dense slate is fully impervious to water and the only way it gets into your home is if they are broken or damaged.
Signs of falling damp are flaking, peeling paint, plaster and wallpapers at the top of walls and all over ceilings – smelly damp odors and mold or fungal type growth on walls and ceilings.
Another problem that falling damp, can and does cause, is when it gets into electrical wiring and switches.
This often results in safety switches turning off and fuses continually breaking leaving you with no power or lighting.
SLATE ROOF LEAKS AND RISING DAMP NEED QUICK REPAIRS
When rising damp and damaged or worn out slate roofs aren’t attended to quickly it doesn’t take long for the homes to fall into a state of disrepair.
When homes like these are sold there is usually one of two outcomes:
- The new purchasers are either homeowners looking to renovate or restore the home back to its former original self
- They are developers intent on demolishing the home for its land value and build units or a modern style dwelling.
Sometimes new owners who renovate, have good intentions but do it very much out of character of the original home.
Sometimes the original slate roof is removed and replaced with slate look alike tiles.
Pretty ironic really when if they had taken a little time, done a bit of research and found some reliable advice they could have saved the roof and some money.
Often just because the old slate roof looks worn out and beyond repair doesn’t mean it is.
I’ve seen this scenario time and time again. To add to this situation good salvageable roof slates end up at the tip instead of being saved and used to restore and preserve other original slate roofs.
Our original Melbourne period homes can continue to give many years of good service if the maintenance is kept up. Their slate roof serves a big part in helping to preserve these homes.
All our slate roof services – new installations, restorations, repairs, additions are aimed at keeping the original look, character and feel of your roof.
Abardeen Roof Slating & Tiling 66 Eglinton St Moonee Ponds VIC 3039
Fill Out The Form Or Call Us On 0403 022 137
