How Does A Slate Roof Work

Another slate material to consider is penrhyn slate which has a soft purple blue appearance and is typically expected to last more than 100 years.

How does a slate roof work.

Perhaps the best natural slate material in the world for a slate roof is considered by many to be welsh slate. Slate is a fine grained foliated homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low grade regional metamorphism it is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. If the roofs are made of slate or tiles it is even more hazardous. Often the damage is hidden under overlapping slate courses and becomes apparent only when the roof starts to leak.

If you re one of the lucky individuals who has a slate roof on his house you re almost guaranteed that you won t have to replace it for its first 60 to 100 years. This slate material can come in either blue grey or heather purple color options. It is to be kept in mind that repairing any kind of pitched roof is a dangerous task. The best access for most homeowners comes in positioning a long extension ladder from the ground to the roof.

Although a slate roof is initially quite costly it will often last for a lifetime and beyond. How to work on slate roofs. When you have a slate roof installed or maintained the work should only be done by roofing professionals with extensive backgrounds in the application of slate. Slate shingles do not lie flat against each other and can easily snap under pressure.

The roofers should try to adhere to the below mentioned precautions while working on slate roofs. Foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering but instead is in planes perpendicular to the direction of metamorphic compression. Ideally you would only allow specially trained roofers to work on roofs covered in slate but for emergency repairs or the retrieval of the occasional frisbee it can t be avoided. This can be carried out cheaply and it s work you can comfortably undertake yourself.

A slate roof will easily last over 100 years which is at least double of what other roofing materials can offer. In order to maintain your investment and make sure it lasts a slate roof will need regular maintenance. This qualifier is crucial considering the special handling required for slate shingles. Also slate is slippery when wet.

During the rainy season slate roofs become. Many slate tile manufacturers offer up to 100 year warranty on their products. Precautions needed to work safely on slate roofs.