No home owner, or builder for that matter, will argue with the fact that slate tiles make the best roofs.
Much of this has to do with their durability.
While slate tiles are aesthetically pleasing, the value of slate roofing resides in their natural resistance to the elements and longevity as a roofing material. Slate roofing can withstand extremely low and high temperatures as well as bearing up well against strong storm, hail and wind. And while low maintenance is a strong draw card for those looking to invest in slate roofing, experts know that maintenance is key to getting the most out of your slate tiles.
The mere use of slate can be counted on to roof a structure for around 100 years, but, regular roof maintenance can mean the difference between adding or taking decades off the life of your slate tiles. And given the not insignificant cost of installing slate roofing, looking after it makes a whole lot of sense.
Though the word maintenance implies manual labour, for the most part, good roof maintenance is just good common sense. For safety reasons, scaling up the side of your house and tramping around on the roof is not recommended. Doing any sort of work on slate roof requires specialised building experience and is best left to slate roofing professionals.
The role played by the homeowner in roof maintenance is primarily one of surveillance. Checking roofs after strong storms or being on the lookout for any irregularities in the slate roofing, can drastically effect the extent of damage caused when slate tiles break, become loose, fly off and the like; exposing the bones of the structure to the elements. Depending on how long the problem goes unnoticed, roof repairs may merely call for the tile to be re-affixed to the roof or it may call for the replacement of the roof entire. As always, professional help should be sought for more serious inspections.
Regular maintenance also includes typical things like gutter cleaning and the replacement of missing slate tiles. A thorough and professional check-up is recommended every 5 to 7 years, in order to assess how the slate tiles are faring as a roofing material.
Follow the links to find out more about slate roofing and the maintenance of slate tiles with Westwood Roofing.