Buildcor Tips on Slate Roofing Maintenance: What are the Do’s and Dont’s?

28 April 2021

More often than not, you will spot a slate roofing in Australia. Most residential building owners opt for this type of roofing due to the number of advantages it poses. There are the things that make slate roofing the best option. Most homeowners would claim that slate is one of the longest-lasting roofing options available on today’s market. In fact, slate shingles can last as long as 200 years in favourable environments.

One proof of such is the fact that many homes built in the late 19th and early 20th century still have their original slate roofing intact. However, you cannot put your confidence on older homes with slate as the roofing material without further considerations. You must first carefully assess the classification of your slate roofing.

Buildcor Tips on Slate Roofing Maintenance: What are the Do’s and Dont’s?

DO: Inspect Slate Roofing Regularly

Given the generally high introductory cost of installing another slate rooftop, it pays to inspect its general condition every year and after several storms. For safety reasons, it is suggested that building owners and maintenance personnel complete rooftop surveys starting from the earliest stage binoculars or a careful selector.

Broken, broken, misaligned, and missing slates and how much delamination has happened should be noted, along with bombed flashings (pinholes, open seams, loose and misaligned elements, and so on) and broken or stopped up downspouts.

A rooftop plan or sketch and a camera can help in recording problems and discussing them with contractors. In the storage room, wood rafters and sheathing should be checked for water stains and decay. Basic areas are normally close to the rooftop plate and at the intersection of rooftop planes, such as valleys and hips.

DO: Clean Gutters Thrice a Year and Repair Damaged Slates

Ordinary maintenance should incorporate cleaning gutters at any rate twice throughout the fall and once in late-winter, and supplanting harmed slates speedily. Each five to seven years inspections should be conducted by professionals experienced in working with slate and steep slopes. Great record keeping, like a logbook and the systematic documenting of all bills and samples, can help in sorting out a rooftop’s maintenance history and is a significant piece of maintenance.

Don’t Walk on the Slate Roof If You are Not a Professional

As a component of customary maintenance, an endeavour should be made to keep people strolling through off the rooftop. If maintenance personnel, chimney stack sweeps, painters, or others must stroll on the rooftop, it is suggested that ladders be snared preposterous and that the workers stroll on the ladders to all the more likely distribute their weight. On the off chance that slates are to be strolled on, it is best to wear soft-soled shoes and to step on the lower middle of the exposed portion of the slate unit.