Valley repair
Worn or rusted valley metal is replaced to carry water off the roof again.
Slate Roofing
Slate Roof Repair South Orange, NJ
Most slate roofs in South Orange 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. Call (973) 858-1859 to reach a local roofer who works on slate.
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. Rusted nails let slates slip loose one by one, which is why slipped slates often show up in gutters.
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. Tar on slate is a shortcut that fails, and removing it later adds work.
Look from the ground, not from the roof. Slate breaks easily underfoot and is slippery, which is why slate work is done from ladders and brackets rather than on foot. From the ground, binoculars show slipped slates, missing pieces and rusted flashing well enough to describe on the phone.
Slate Roof Repair is often paired with slate roof replacement and slate roof installation, depending on the cause.
Looking for South Orange slate roof repair? Call (973) 858-1859 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in South Orange.
Call nowThe process
The slate roof repair process
Slate repair follows a careful routine.
Set safe access
Access is set up with ridge hook ladders and staging so nobody has to walk on the slate. Slate is never worked on while it is wet or icy.
Find the cause
The source is pinned down first, since a slate problem and a flashing problem are fixed very differently. If many slates are slipping, it tells the roofer the nails are failing roof wide.
Remove broken slate
The damaged slate is freed by cutting its hidden nails with a slate ripper. Nothing around the repair has to come off.
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.
Repair the flashing
Valleys and wall flashings that have rusted through are replaced with new metal, with the slates carefully removed and relaid. Copper is the traditional choice because it lasts about as long as hard slate.
What is included
What slate roof repair covers
Flashing repair
Step and counter flashing at chimneys, dormers and walls are renewed so joints stay watertight.
Broken slate repair
Broken slates are cut out and new ones hung in their place without disturbing the slates around them.
Tar cleanup
Old tar and roof cement patches are removed where possible to stop trapped moisture.
Slipped slate rehanging
Slates that slid are refastened so the coverage is whole again.
Related service
Slate Roof Inspection South Orange, 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 South Orange, a slate roof inspection is done mostly from ladders and with a drone so the inspector does not crack the slate checking it. The attic is checked as well for stains, daylight and rotted sheathing boards. 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 South Orange, NJ
Slate is a specialty, and a slate roofing company should show it knows the trade. 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 South Orange, 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. One call to (973) 858-1859 is a good place to start.
Local help
Slate Roof Repair Near Me
In South Orange, slate tends to cap older and historic homes, and many of those roofs are still on their original stone. On older slate roofs in South Orange and nearby towns like Vauxhall, East Orange, Union and Short Hills, the most common repairs are slipped slates from rusted nails and leaking valleys or chimney flashing, and storms that drop limbs on the roof add broken slates to the list.
Searching for slate roof repair near me from South Orange or Vauxhall, East Orange, Union and Short Hills? Call (973) 858-1859 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
How the weather here affects roofs around South Orange
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. 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. Most homeowners in South Orange, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Familiar with local homes
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across South Orange and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about slate roof repair
What is the lifespan of a slate roof?
Slate is among the longest lasting roofing materials, with hard slate often lasting more than a century. Fasteners and flashing are what wear out first, which is why repairs keep slate roofs going so long. With timely repairs, many slate roofs outlive several generations of owners.
What causes slates to slip?
The nails holding each slate are the usual culprit. 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 patches on slate fail and make proper repairs harder. 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. A real repair uses new slate and new flashing instead.
Do I need a new slate roof or just repairs?
Repair is the right call when most of the slate is solid and the problems are nails, flashing or a few broken pieces. It is when the slate is delaminating widely, or slipping everywhere, that a full strip and relay becomes the better plan. A slate inspection shows which situation you are in.
Can I walk on my slate roof?
Slate is not made to be walked on. Slate breaks easily underfoot and becomes dangerous when wet. Professionals work from ladders hooked over the ridge for this reason, and homeowners are safer looking from the ground.
More questions? Call (973) 858-1859
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, with salvage of good slate wherever possible.
Learn moreSlate Roof Installation
Natural slate roofs installed over a solid deck with copper nails, proper headlap and long life flashing, built to match the life of the stone.
Learn moreFlashing Repair
Repairing step, counter, kickout, valley and drip edge flashing where roofs meet walls and edges, before hidden rot spreads into walls and decking.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Finding where water gets through the roof and sealing it at the source, before wet decking and insulation turn into rot.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesNeed slate roof repair in South Orange, NJ?
Call (973) 858-1859 to talk to a roofer serving South Orange, NJ.