3 Steps to Help Maintain Your Slate Roof

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If you have just moved into a home with a slate roof, one question you want to ask is about how to maintain your slate roof. Maintaining your roof helps keep it looking new and healthy.

However, since slate roof maintenance is different from other roofs, this might be a daunting task, especially if it is your first time owning a slate roof, but knowing what to do will help make your roof maintenance task hassle-free.

Here are a few tips for maintaining your slate roof:

Invest In an Annual Inspection

A slate roof can last 100+  years in Cincinnati, but achieving this goal requires proper maintenance. Getting an annual inspection for your slate roof is a great decision to keep your roof healthy, and the best way to go about it is by hiring a professional roofer in your area, like HKC.

A professional roofing contractor will check your roof every spring to keep you abreast of any damage that has occurred during the winter. Plus, you can prevent future damage.

During this inspection, your roofer will inspect and fix damaged areas, clean the gutters, and clean the roof to remove organic debris, which are all detrimental to your roof’s performance.

Repair Minor Damage

An annual inspection alerts you of damage on your roof during the past year, especially in the winter. The most common damage to a slate roof is with the slates themselves, and fixing minor issues helps prevent them from degenerating into more severe issues. Slate roof ownership comes with the responsibility of dealing with slipped and broken slates from time to time. This is more common if you have large trees with branches extending over your roof. Falling debris could break slates and cause them to slide out.

Repair Flashings

Don’t be too focused on checking only the slates; also pay attention to the flashings. Besides missing and broken slates, deteriorated flashings are a common issue with slate roofs. Flashings are found around different parts of the roof, such as in the hips and valleys, around the chimneys, and at the roof ridge.

Flashings are made of different materials, with copper and “Tin” (alloy-coated carbon steel) being the most common options for slate roofs. You will have less hassle maintaining copper flashings since they promise a 75+ year lifespan, which is longer than many other roofs.

Tin flashings, on the other hand, only have a lifespan of 30 years, if not maintained properly. This maintenance requires more from you. Tin and other galvanized steel flashings must be kept painted to reduce the risk of rusting.

This also goes with taking care of your chimney and gutters. Taking care of these sections of your slate roof contributes to its overall performance and lifespan.

Conclusion

Maintaining your slate roof in Cincinnati starts with hiring a professional slate roofer for an annual inspection. Investing in an annual inspection helps alert you of existing and potential damage.

If you need a roofing contractor to inspect your roof anywhere in the U.S., HKC has your back.

At HKC, we specialize in installing and repairing slate roofs and other roof types. We are always available for your roof inspection in Cincinnati and other parts of the U.S., including Colombia Tusculum, India Hill, and Amberley Village.

We have an A+ Rating from the Better Business Bureau and are part of the National Roofing Contractors Association, serving our Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area neighbors.

Request an estimate on our website or by calling 513-371-1841 to speak to a team member. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more information and to stay up-to-date on the latest news.