Be sure to consider these questions before purchasing a home or building with a slate roof
You’ve found the home of your dreams, and it has a slate roof. The beauty of that handcrafted roof is part of what drew you to the house in the first place, but you just don’t know enough about slate roofing to know if you should be happy or not about the roof.
Here are five questions you should ask if you’re considering purchasing a home or building with a slate roof.
How Old is the Roof?
One of the biggest benefits of a slate roof is its longevity. A properly installed and maintained slate roof can last up to 150 years and more making it one of the longest lasting roof options available today. Therefore, unless you’re looking at a historic home, you probably won’t have to replace a slate roof while you own the property, but it’s always good to know the age.
What Type of Slate is it?
There are basically two types of genuine slate – hard and soft. It’s probably no surprise that hard slate is stronger and more resistant to weather and fire damage. It also doesn’t absorb water. While soft slate isn’t quite as strong as hard slate, with a life expectancy of 50 – 125 years, it’s still more durable than most other roofing options.
Then there are imitation slate tiles, which don’t have the value nor the longevity of real slate. So how do you spot fake slate? Real slate is a natural product, and the tiles will vary in color and texture. If the slate on the roof is consistent in appearance, it’s probably fake. Fake tiles also tend to be flatter and smoother than real slate.
Who Installed the Roof?
late roofing is not installed the same way as other roofing options; therefore, a company that doesn’t specialize in slate roof installation can make mistakes that can compromise the longevity of your slate roof and lead to costly problems down the road.
The installation of slate roofing is complicated, and slate shingles need to be handled properly. Inexperienced slate roofers may leave gaps between shingles where water can get through and create a leak; leave fasteners exposed to snow and rain; coat the tiles, which causes slate to lose its aesthetic luster (and it just isn’t needed); and use an inconsistent layout or slate distribution, which can distract from the beauty of a slate roof.
What is the Roof’s Current Condition?
The condition of a slate roof is affected by the age of the roof and how well it has been maintained. As durable as slate roofing is, it isn’t completely impervious to the elements. The most common problem with a slate roof is broken tiles. Depending on the location and number of broken tiles, they can usually be repaired or replaced by an experienced slate roofer.
The biggest mistake homeowners make is not addressing a problem as soon as they notice it, which can cause interior damage and costly repairs. It’s why we always recommend an annual maintenance contract to help your slate roof look its best for a very long time.
What is the Warranty?
Warranties can vary significantly and are very dependent upon the manufacturer and the installer. Most manufacturers’ warranties cover defects in the materials for many years, but some only hold the contractor liable for a few years.
Sometimes maintenance work is covered under warranty, but the length of the warranty and the types of issues covered can vary.
Some warranties can be transferred to new homeowners and some can’t. Some warranties stipulate that there can only be one transfer, so if you are the third owner after a roof is installed, you may not have any warranty.
If a roof is installed and maintained (maintenance on a slate roof is minimal) properly, repairs should be minimum, but it’s always good to know what expenses will and will not be covered under a warranty.
Choose an Experienced Slate Roof Contractor Like Leeland’s
If you do purchase a home with a slate roof, it’s essential to use a slate roofing contractor like Leeland’s for maintenance and repairs. Slate roofing is the core of our business, and we provide extensive hands-on training for all of our craftsmen. We offer slate roof installation, maintenance, and repairs to help ensure the quality of your slate roof lasts for many years.
If you have any other questions about slate roofing, please give us a call at 888.927.5283
or contact us online.
The best way to keep a slate roof looking its best for the longest is with an annual roof maintenance inspection. Here are 3 steps to maintain your roof at its best.
Before you decide slate roofing is too expensive, consider this: slate roofs typically last 75 to 100 years. Slate roofing is seeing a resurgence as more and more homeowners recognize that the many benefits of slate roofing – beauty, durability, fire resistance, and more - often outweigh the cost.
