How To Tell When An Existing Slate Roof Needs Replacement
What do you look for to determine if your existing slate roof isn’t suitable for restoring?How do you tell if it needs replacing?
If your slates are flaking, powdery, soft and delaminating then a re-roof may be the only option.
Flaking, Powdery Slates Are Water
Absorbent – Lots Of Small Leaks
First off – all the problems pointed out in our Slate Repairs and Slate Restoration sections on this website will apply to your roof.
However the determining factor between a restoration needed or a re-roof, is your slates themselves.
- If they are flaking, powdery, soft and delaminating are crucial factors in making the decision.
- Flaking and powdery slates are water absorbent.
- They cause lots of small leaks onto the ceilings which eventually grow worse with age.
When roofing slates are in this condition there’s nothing that can be done to save them. The only answer is a replacement slate installation.
Look & Feel: Are Your Slate Tiles Soft & Flaky?
An easy test to determine the quality of your slate is to simply give it a few taps with your knuckles.
Soft slate will give a dull thud sound like tapping wet cardboard – you may even knock a hole in it.
Good slate will give a ring like sound – like a bell. When looking closely at your slate – particularly from the underside – soft slate will have large slivers of slate flaking away and may even be powdery.
Good slate will have no flaking and will be of an even and uniform appearance.
When your slates are soft they will eventually need replacing.
If the slates on your roof are soft it’s only a matter of time before they’ll need replacing.
Depending on how soft they are some can go on for a few years but others will need urgent attention.
For a complete and trouble free roof it’s always more economical to replace the roof than try to restore it.
Abardeen Slate Roof Repair Services In Melbourne: We Do It All.
- We can help you with any problem with your slate roof.
- All leaking found and solutions offered.
- Slipped, broken, cracked or damaged slates repaired promptly
- Rusted valleys, box gutters and chimney flashings replaced or repaired
- Re-cementing of terra cotta finials pickett ridging and hip cappings.
- Installation and replacement of all types of skylights.
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