Slipped slate rehanging
Slipped slates are put back and secured where their nails rusted through.
Slate Roofing
Slate Roof Repair Closter, NJ
Most slate roofs in Closter that leak still have plenty of good slate, and the fix is usually new slates in a few spots and new flashing, not a new roof. Dial (551) 395-0646 to talk with a local roofer about the repair.
Natural slate can last a century or more, so most slate repairs deal with what holds it on and what seals it. Hard slate can last well over a hundred years and soft slate somewhat less, but in both cases the nails, flashing and valleys often wear out first. A slipped slate in the gutter is a common sign that the nails, not the stone, are failing.
Slate needs repairs done with slate methods, not shingle methods. A slate ripper slides under the broken slate to cut its nails, then a new slate of matching size, thickness and color is slipped in and held with a copper or stainless slate hook or a copper nail covered by a metal bib. Coating slate with tar or roof cement only hides problems and stains the stone.
Look from the ground, not from the roof. Walking on slate breaks it and is dangerous when the stone is wet, so slate roofers use hook ladders and staging instead of walking the field. From the ground, binoculars show slipped slates, missing pieces and rusted flashing well enough to describe on the phone.
Many slate roof repair calls in Closter also turn up a need for slate roof replacement or slate roof installation.
Looking for Closter slate roof repair? Call (551) 395-0646 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
The slate roof repair process
Slate repair follows a careful routine.
Stage from ladders
Access is set up with ridge hook ladders and staging so nobody has to walk on the slate. Work only happens when the roof is dry, since wet slate is slick.
Find the cause
The roofer checks whether the problem is a single broken slate, rusted nails across a slope or flashing at a valley, chimney or wall. If many slates are slipping, it tells the roofer the nails are failing roof wide.
Pull damaged slates
With a slate ripper, the roofer cuts the nails holding the broken slate and draws it out. The slates above stay in place the whole time.
Fit matching slate
A replacement slate matched in size, thickness and color is slid up into place and held with a copper or stainless slate hook. Salvaged slate of the same type and color often gives the closest match.
Fix the valleys
Corroded valley metal, step flashing and counter flashing at chimneys and walls are replaced, usually in copper, by lifting and resetting the slates around them. Copper is the traditional choice because it lasts about as long as hard slate.
What is included
Common slate roof repairs
Chimney flashing
Wall and chimney flashing is rebuilt so joints stay watertight.
Valley replacement
Worn or rusted valley metal is replaced where many slate leaks begin.
Broken slate repair
Cracked or missing slates are replaced with matching slate without disturbing the slates around them.
Old patch removal
Old tar and roof cement patches are removed where possible to stop trapped moisture.
Related service
Slate Roof Inspection Closter, NJ
A slate roof inspection decides whether the roof needs a few repairs or a bigger plan. It covers slate condition, nail failure, valley metal, chimney and wall flashing and any old tar repairs. Hard slate in good condition rings when tapped, while worn soft slate sounds dull and breaks easily.
In Closter, a slate roof inspection is done mostly from ladders and with a drone so the inspector does not crack the slate checking it. Inside, the attic shows where water has gotten through and whether the board sheathing is sound. The result should tell you how many repairs are needed now, what can wait and how much life the slate has left.
Related service
Slate Roofing Company Closter, NJ
Choosing a slate roofing company matters more than with most roofs, because slate needs its own tools, methods and experience. Ask whether the crew uses a slate ripper, slate hooks or copper nails with bibs, hook ladders instead of walking the roof and long life flashing metal. Be wary of anyone who wants to tar the roof or tear off a roof with mostly sound slate at the first visit.
When looking for a slate roofing company in Closter, ask about past slate jobs and whether they keep salvaged slate on hand for matching. Salvaged slate that matches the original is the key to repairs that do not stand out. Call (551) 395-0646 to talk with a roofer who works on slate.
Local help
Slate Roof Repair Near Me
In Closter, slate tends to cap older and historic homes, and many of those roofs are still on their original stone. Homes in Closter and neighboring communities such as Demarest, Norwood, Harrington Park and Haworth with original slate usually need nail and flashing repairs long before the stone itself wears out, which is why finding a roofer who knows slate is worth the extra effort.
Searching for slate roof repair near me from Closter or Demarest, Norwood, Harrington Park and Haworth? Call (551) 395-0646 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
Roofs in this climate
Winters here are long and cold, with snow on the roof for weeks at a time and plenty of nights below freezing. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. That is why roof repair in Closter is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Drier ceilings
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Roofers in Closter know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Slate Roof Repair FAQ
What causes slates to slip?
Slipped slates come from failed nails far more often than from broken stone. Older slate roofs were often hung with iron or steel nails that rust through long before the slate wears out, letting slates slide down and fall. Each slipped slate is rehung with a slate hook or covered copper nail, and if slipping is widespread, the roof may need to be stripped and relaid with new nails.
Can tar be used to repair slate?
Tar and roof cement are poor fixes for slate. They crack as they age, trap water against the stone and stain it, and they have to be scraped off before a proper repair can be done. The lasting fix is replacing the broken slate and renewing the flashing with metal.
How long does a slate roof last?
Depending on the type of slate, a roof can last anywhere from several decades to well over a hundred years. Fasteners and flashing are what wear out first, which is why repairs keep slate roofs going so long. Kept up with repairs, a slate roof can serve for generations.
Can I walk on my slate roof?
Walking on slate is best avoided. The stone cracks under weight, especially older slate, and it is very slippery when wet, icy or covered in moss. Professionals work from ladders hooked over the ridge for this reason, and homeowners are safer looking from the ground.
Do I need a new slate roof or just repairs?
Most slate roofs can be repaired as long as the stone itself is still sound. It is when the slate is delaminating widely, or slipping everywhere, that a full strip and relay becomes the better plan. An inspection tells you which way your roof leans.
More questions? Call (551) 395-0646
Other services that may help
Slate Roof Replacement
Replacing a slate roof that has reached the end of its life, by relaying the sound slate on new nails or installing new natural or synthetic slate, so the new roof lasts as long as the old one did.
Learn moreSlate Roof Installation
New slate roofs planned around the slate grade, the framing and the details that let stone last a century, so the nails and flashing last as long as the slate.
Learn moreFlashing Repair
Flashing repairs at the joints where most roof leaks start, before hidden rot spreads into walls and decking.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Stopping water at the pipe boots, flashing, valleys and nail holes where roofs actually leak, so the stain on the ceiling stops growing.
Learn more
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