How to Properly Maintain Your Slate Roof

They’re beautiful, functional and can last a lifetime; a slate roof is an expensive, yet smart investment in your home.

With a bit of knowledge and maintenance you can enjoy this incredible roofing feature for years to come. Here are some tips for maintaining your slate roof from the Newnan, Georgia roofing professionals at Eagle Watch Roofing.

Inspecting Your Slate Roof For Damage

If you have to walk upon your slate roof, do so with extra care and soft-soled shoes in order to avoid cracking, chipping, and breaking tiles.  

During your inspection, you should be checking for thinning or corrosion around the copper flashing, which is usually installed with the tiles, as well as cracked, loose or broken tiles.  

Washing Your Slate Roof

When washing your roofing tiles, you should never use harsh, corrosive chemicals. Instead, vinegar and water or even a mild household cleaner should do the trick and loosen up any deposits trying to take up permanent residence.

Gloved hands can pick up any dirt, finish loosening, wipe sludge and any other debris or stubborn dirt that washing missed.

While you may think it a good idea to pull out the pressure wash, this can be tricky and typically is not advised for slate roofs.  

This is due to the fact that the pressure of the water has a tendency to get in-between and under the roofing tiles, which can create leaks and trap water, leading to your support beams becoming weak and moldy.

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of climbing onto your roof, use a ladder, hand brush, cleaner, gloves and a vinyl rake or long handled scrub brush to do the cleaning for you.  

The hand brush and gloves will clean and scrub the tiles and between the ones you can reach, while the long handled brush can be used to get dirty tiles you can’t reach and the crevices between these tiles in order to loosen the dirt and debris deposits.

Best Time of Year to Inspect Your Slate Roof

If you want a closer inspection of your roofing tiles, the best time to inspect them is during the fall, when you can prepare for the winter months ahead, when the elements can really do some significant damage.

Beginning in the attic, you should inspect your rafters to ensure there are no rotting or moldy spots on the wood.  You should also make sure that you can’t see daylight coming through your roof.

As always, if you’re unsure whether you’re going to need to repair or fully replace your home’s roof, call a professional roofer to assist you.

Eagle Watch Roofing has been in the roofing industry for years, and has the experience necessary to help you maintain and make repairs to your slate roof to keep it in the best shape. Contact us today or visit our website to learn more about our company and what we can do for your home!

We hope you’re finding our roofing blog insightful and entertaining! To learn more about what Eagle Watch Roofing can do for your next roofing project, visit our ‘About Us’ page; or, visit our ‘Testimonials’ page to see what some of our satisfied customers have to say about their experience.