Flashing repair
Wall and chimney flashing is rebuilt instead of being covered with tar.
Slate Roofing
Slate Roof Repair Fanwood, NJ
A Fanwood slate roofer can pull broken slates with a slate ripper, set matching replacements and repair the copper flashing that keeps the roof dry. One call to (908) 663-5020 reaches a nearby slate repair pro.
Natural slate can last a century or more, so most slate repairs deal with what holds it on and what seals it. Original iron or steel nails rust through, flashing corrodes and valley metal wears thin, and slates then slip, crack or let water past. A slipped slate in the gutter is a common sign that the nails, not the stone, are failing.
Slate repair is a specialty, and the methods matter. The broken slate is removed by cutting its nails with a slate ripper, and the replacement is secured with a slate hook or a nail under a small copper bib so no nail is exposed. Coating slate with tar or roof cement only hides problems and stains the stone.
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 yard, note any missing or slipped slates, flaking surfaces and rusted metal at valleys or chimneys.
Slate Roof Repair is often paired with slate roof replacement and slate roof installation, depending on the cause.
Looking for Fanwood slate roof repair? Call (908) 663-5020 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a slate roof repair
Slate repair follows a careful routine.
Set safe access
Before any repair, the roofer rigs ladders and brackets that keep feet off the stone. Slate is never worked on while it is wet or icy.
Trace the leak
Leaks are traced back to their source, which on slate is often a valley, a flashing joint or a cluster of slipped slates. If many slates are slipping, it tells the roofer the nails are failing roof wide.
Pull damaged slates
A slate ripper slides under the broken slate, hooks each nail and cuts it so the slate slides out without disturbing its neighbors. The slates above stay in place the whole time.
Hang a replacement
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 flashing is common on slate because its service life comes close to that of the stone.
What is included
Common slate roof repairs
Slipped slate rehanging
Loose slates are rehung on copper hooks before they fall and break.
Valley replacement
Leaking valleys are rebuilt to carry water off the roof again.
Broken slate repair
Cracked or missing slates are replaced with matching slate using hooks or covered copper nails.
Tar cleanup
Roof cement over slates and seams is replaced with real repairs which also improves the look of the roof.
Related service
Slate Roof Inspection Fanwood, NJ
A slate roof inspection decides whether the roof needs a few repairs or a bigger plan. The inspector looks at the type of slate, the share of broken, slipped or flaking pieces, the nails where slates are missing and the state of every valley and flashing. Tapping a slate is a quick test: sound slate rings, worn slate thuds.
A slate inspection on a Fanwood home relies on ladders, binoculars and drone footage more than walking, to protect the slate. 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 Fanwood, 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.
A slate roofing company that works in Fanwood should be able to describe recent slate repairs and where it sources matching slate. Salvaged slate that matches the original is the key to repairs that do not stand out. One call to (908) 663-5020 is a good place to start.
Local help
Slate Roof Repair Near Me
In Fanwood, slate tends to cap older and historic homes, and many of those roofs are still on their original stone. From Fanwood out to Westfield, Plainfield, Watchung and Mountainside, slate repairs tend to involve slipped slates, worn valleys and flashing that has outlived its service life, and storms that drop limbs on the roof add broken slates to the list.
For slate roof repair in Fanwood, NJ or nearby towns like Westfield, Plainfield, Watchung and Mountainside, call (908) 663-5020 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
How the weather here affects roofs around Fanwood
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. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. That is why roof repair in Fanwood is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Roofers in Fanwood know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about slate roof repair
Can a slate roof be repaired instead of replaced?
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.
What causes slates to slip?
Rusted nails are the usual cause. Many older slate roofs used nails that corrode in time, and once a nail fails, the slate slides out of its row. Individual slates are rehung with hooks, but widespread slipping points to relaying the roof with copper nails.
Is roof cement a good fix for a slate roof?
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. A real repair uses new slate and new flashing instead.
Can I walk on my slate roof?
Slate roofs should be kept free of foot traffic. 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.
What is the lifespan of a slate roof?
Depending on the type of slate, a roof can last anywhere from several decades to well over a hundred years. The nails and flashing need attention long before the slate does. With timely repairs, many slate roofs outlive several generations of owners.
More questions? Call (908) 663-5020
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
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
Flashing repairs at the joints where most roof leaks start, so water runs onto the shingles instead of into the wall.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Leak repairs that fix the entry point, not just the ceiling stain, before wet decking and insulation turn into rot.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet slate roof repair help in Fanwood
Call (908) 663-5020 to talk to a roofer serving Fanwood, NJ.