Signs That It’s Time To Replace Your Slate Roof – If you begin to notice that shingles are missing from your roof, it may be nearing the end of its lifespan. A broken shingle here or there isn’t necessarily a huge call for concern, but if you notice that the amount of missing or broken shingles is closer to 20% or 30%, it’s time to call an experienced roofer to come and inspect the roof.

How often do you replace a slate roof?

Does a Slate Roof Add Value to a Home? – The longevity of slate is key to its value in the eyes of homeowners. After all, roofing can be expensive. Slate is one of the few roofing options that doesn’t need to be replaced within the span of a lifetime. In most environments, slate shingles will last at least 125 years and sometimes as long as 200 years.

As such, slate will outlast multiple generations of occupants at a given address. Slate is also widely considered one of the most beautiful roofing materials. As a stone, slate has a natural, timeless appeal that never goes out of style. Slate shingles complement classic homes from the 19th century as well as modernist homes built in recent decades.

Moreover, slate is one of the most diverse roofing options when it comes to color. Slate tiles are available in tones of green, red, purple, grey and black. The biggest of all benefits regarding slate is its strength. Slate can withstand all types of weather patterns, year after year.

How much does a slate roof cost to replace?

On average, the cost to install a slate roof is $20,745 to $37,460 as of 2022 for a standard 3,000 square foot roof, with a national average installation cost of $29,100. Slate tiles can cost between $6.90 to $12.50 per square foot to install, or $690 to $1,250 per roofing square (100 sq. ft).

Is moss on a slate roof a problem?

Moss on roof tiles can cause multiple problems such as wood rotting and the obstruction of drainage points. Ultimately moss growth on a roof can result in costly repairs, and can also reduce the lifespan of your roof. Removal of moss from roof tiles often requires the services of a professional contractor, but there are also easy things you can do at home to prevent moss from growing on your roof tiles.

How do I know if my roof slate has asbestos?

The only way to confirm if a tile contains asbestos is to look for an identification mark. These marks were generally only put onto around one in twenty tiles, so if you suspect that your roof tiles contain asbestos multiple tiles may need to be removed before you find a marked one.

How much wind can a slate roof withstand?

Slate tiles – Slate tiles are a more eco-friendly option, which appeals to many homeowners. They’re usually heavier than other options and cost a great deal more, despite their average wind speed resistance being quite a bit lower — around 110 mph — and the tiles can cause a lot of damage if they come loose.

Can hail damage slate roof?

Mastering Roof Inspections: Slate Roofs, Part 12 by Kenton Shepard and Nick Gromicko, CMI® The purpose of the series “Mastering Roof Inspections” is to teach home inspectors, as well as insurance and roofing professionals, how to recognize proper and improper conditions while inspecting steep-slope, residential roofs. Hail damage to a slate roof Courtesy of Joe Jenkins, Inc. Slate tiles may be punctured, cracked or broken by hail. Any of these conditions could be deemed functional damage if the damage is serious enough. Because slate is a sedimentary stone composed of layers, hail damage may appear as a slate with a portion of layers missing.

This condition would be considered functional damage only if it were severe. Slate becomes soft and brittle as it ages, and old slate is more likely to suffer damage than newer slate. As slate ages and deteriorates, less impact energy is required for hail to damage it. On a home whose roof you can view clearly, you may be able to inspect it from the ground with binoculars, from a window or balcony, or from a ladder at the roof edge.

If you inspect a home with significant portions of the roof not visible from any of these vantage points, you should recommend inspection by a qualified roofing contractor. A contractor has the equipment to access those portions of the roof that you can’t see safely or without risk of damaging the roof. When nail holes are punched in slates, they’re punched from the backside. As the punch penetrates the slate, it creates a clean entry hole, but as it emerges from the other side, it breaks out some of the outer layers, creating a crater that forms a countersink hole for the nail heads. Damage caused by a nail left protruding Courtesy of Joe Jenkins, Inc. Thick slates sometimes have nail holes drilled, which does not provide a countersink, but thick slates are generally able to handle this condition adequately. Standard slates should always be punched, not drilled.

Occasionally, slates are installed using a sidelap. In this case, most of the roof may have only one layer of slate. A roof with a single layer of slate is more likely to develop leaks as the result of a hailstrike. External impacts are not limited to hail, but may be from windborne or thrown rocks, golf balls, or even bullets.

In deciding whether damage is from hail, it’s important to look at the overall pattern of damage across the roof. Hail fall is random, and it may be directional, meaning that the damage may be concentrated more on-slope, facing the direction from which the wind blew during the storm, as illustrated above. Slate tiles may be punctured or broken by hail. Either way, slate roofs are often repairable.

• Courtesy of Joe Jenkins, Inc.
• Remember that when slate is punctured, the impact leaves a clean hole on the impact-side, and a ragged, cratered hole on the opposite side.
• WIND DAMAGE to SLATE ROOFS
• Although slate tiles are rigid, heavy and low-profile, they are subject to both direct and indirect wind damage, but they are less likely to suffer direct damage than lighter-weight roof-covering materials, such as asphalt composition shingles.
• Direct Damage

Direct wind damage can occur when slates with corroded fasteners fail during a windstorm. In this situation, wind might tear the slates loose. Nail length can also affect the wind resistance of slate tiles. Overly long nails used to fasten field slates may blow out the underside of the roof sheathing at each fastener penetration, diminishing the holding power of the nail.

Hip and ridge cap slates are the most vulnerable to wind damage, especially on the windward side of the home, and at the eaves and corners. It’s a good idea to fasten these slates with longer nails because they have to penetrate farther to reach the roof sheathing. If you’re inspecting a home in an area subject to high winds, check the nail penetration while you’re in the attic.

Metal flashing and trim on slate roofs is more likely to suffer damage than the slates themselves. Indirect Damage Indirect damage happens when the roof is damaged by objects blown into it. This includes tree limbs, stones, various types of debris, and even objects commonly found in a yard that can be lifted and hurled by strong winds.

1. adequate headlap. A 4-inch headlap is recommended in a high-wind area. The headlap is the amount by which slates in alternate courses overlap;
2. correct nail length. Nails that are too short or too long can reduce their effective holding power. Smooth-shank slating nails typically have adequate holding power;
3. solid-wood roof sheathing that is at least ¾-inch thick; and
4. adequate slope. The ideal slate roof would be too steep to walk on.

: Mastering Roof Inspections: Slate Roofs, Part 12

Does slate require maintenance?

Slate is formed of compressed layers of sediments formed under the ocean. Its tough composition makes it resistant to fading, scratches, and even chemicals. Although it needs to be sealed regularly, slate tiles last virtually forever with a little maintenance.