Tiles are excellent roofing materials. Experts believe that if they are installed properly and maintained well, then they can last several decades. However, many times, the slate roof can fail prematurely due to several reasons. In this article, we have shared with you these reasons. You can take proper steps so that your slate roof continues to protect you and your family for years to come.
Reasons why slate roofs fail
Here are some important reasons why your slate roof might fail prematurely.
The first reason why a slate might fail is due to your wrong choice of the slate itself. A slate is a fantastic material that is very durable. However, when you are buying the slate, if you have failed to notice some of the unseen cracks in the slate, then over time these cracks will widen and the slate will break up.
Therefore, when you are trying to buy a slate for your roof, you must carefully check the quality of the slate. Even if you have to pay a bit more, you must never compromise with quality. If you are not sure whether the slate that you like is best for your roofing, then you can seek help from a roofing expert. He/she will guide you to buy the best slate that is available on the market.
As quality material can lead to the premature failure of the slate tiles, so does the installation process. If the worker who is installing the slate on your roof is not doing his job properly, then your roof will start to fail in a short time. Therefore, you must always give the contract of installing slates over your roof to a reputable company with highly experienced and skilled workers.
When you are installing slates on your roof, you must use high-quality materials. When we talk about high-quality materials, then it includes even the smaller parts like the nails that are used to attach the material to the frames.
If you don’t use high-quality nails, then in a short period, the nails will get rusted and there would be nothing to hold the tiles in their place. This will lead the tiles to fall from the roof. Therefore, when you are given a contract to install slate tiles on your roof, you must ask the contractor to use only high-quality heavy-gauge and galvanised nails for the purpose.
When the workers are trying to install slates on your roof, then they have to attach flashing to the roofing system. This part is very important to hold your slate together and therefore you should never compromise on its quality.
You must never use stainless steel or aluminium flashing. The reason is that these two materials when continuously exposed to the elements can corrode very fast. This will lead to leakages, which in turn can damage your slate roof.
Therefore, ask the contractor to use only copper flashing to ensure that there is no premature erosion of the flashing material.
If your slated roof is leaking, and you have hired an unprofessional roofer, then he/she may walk over the slates to inspect the leaking spot. This will make the slates lose and they will fall. Therefore, always hire a professional with good experience who can do this job in a way that will not damage your roof.
These are just some of the reasons why your slate roof can fail prematurely. Therefore, whenever you face any problem either with installation or repairs, ensure that you repeat none of the mistakes that have been explained in this article. And you will enjoy having a sturdy roof over your head that would last you a lifetime. For more information, please contact the experts at The Slate Roofing Company.