Valley repair
Valleys get new copper or other long life metal to carry water off the roof again.
Slate Roofing
Slate Roof Repair Englewood, NJ
Most slate roofs in Englewood 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. Dial (551) 355-3321 to talk with a local roofer about the repair.
On a slate roof, the stone is usually the last thing to fail. Original iron or steel nails rust through, flashing corrodes and valley metal wears thin, and slates then slip, crack or let water past. When nails rust through, slates slide out of place and leave gaps, a problem sometimes called nail sickness.
Repairing slate the right way uses tools and materials made for it. Roofers cut the hidden nails with a slate ripper, set a matching slate and fasten it with a hook or a covered copper nail. Coating slate with tar or roof cement only hides problems and stains the stone.
Look from the ground, not from the roof. Slate cracks under foot, especially older slate, and it is slick when wet or icy, so roofers work from ladders hooked over the ridge and roof brackets rather than walking on the stone. From the yard, note any missing or slipped slates, flaking surfaces and rusted metal at valleys or chimneys.
Many slate roof repair calls in Englewood also turn up a need for slate roof replacement or slate roof installation.
Dealing with this in Englewood, NJ right now? Call (551) 355-3321 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Englewood.
Call nowThe process
How slate roof repair works
Good slate repair keeps foot traffic off the stone and leaves no exposed nails.
Rig the roof
Before any repair, the roofer rigs ladders and brackets that keep feet off the stone. Work only happens when the roof is dry, since wet slate is slick.
Find the cause
The source is pinned down first, since a slate problem and a flashing problem are fixed very differently. Widespread slipping points to nail failure rather than isolated damage.
Cut the old nails
With a slate ripper, the roofer cuts the nails holding the broken slate and draws it out. The slates above stay in place the whole time.
Set new slate
A matching slate is fitted and secured with a hook or a covered copper nail so no fastener is exposed. Salvaged slate of the same type and color often gives the closest match.
Fix the valleys
Corroded valley metal, step flashing and counter flashing at chimneys and walls are replaced, usually in copper, by lifting and resetting the slates around them. Copper is the traditional choice because it lasts about as long as hard slate.
What is included
Common slate roof repairs
Slate replacement
Damaged slates are swapped for sound ones without disturbing the slates around them.
Flashing repair
Wall and chimney flashing is rebuilt instead of being covered with tar.
Slipped slate rehanging
Loose slates are rehung on copper hooks so the coverage is whole again.
Tar cleanup
Failed tar repairs are cleaned off and done properly which also improves the look of the roof.
Related service
Slate Roof Inspection Englewood, NJ
Before repairs, an inspection sorts out whether the slate itself is sound or nearing the end. Key checks include the slate type, how many slates are cracked or delaminating, whether nails are rusting and how worn the valleys and flashings are. Hard slate in good condition rings when tapped, while worn soft slate sounds dull and breaks easily.
For a slate roof inspection in Englewood, much of the surface can be checked from a ladder, with binoculars and with drone footage, so the stone is not walked on. The attic is checked as well for stains, daylight and rotted sheathing boards. You should come away knowing whether the roof needs a repair, a section relaid or a long term replacement plan.
Related service
Slate Roofing Company Englewood, NJ
Choosing a slate roofing company matters more than with most roofs, because slate needs its own tools, methods and experience. Ask about their tools and methods: slate rippers, hooks, staging and the flashing metals they use. A roofer whose first suggestion is coating the roof with tar is a red flag.
When looking for a slate roofing company in Englewood, 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. Call (551) 355-3321 to talk with a roofer who works on slate.
Local help
Slate Roof Repair Near Me
Around Englewood, most slate roofs date back decades, and many still have plenty of good slate left. On older slate roofs in Englewood and nearby towns like Englewood Cliffs, Leonia, Tenafly and Bergenfield, 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.
For slate roof repair in Englewood, NJ or nearby towns like Englewood Cliffs, Leonia, Tenafly and Bergenfield, call (551) 355-3321 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
Roofs in this climate
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, building ice dams that push water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. That is why roof repair in Englewood is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why fix it now
Less damage
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Roofers who know Englewood
Roofers in Englewood know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Slate Roof Repair questions
Can a slate roof be repaired instead of replaced?
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. An inspection tells you which way your roof leans.
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. The lasting fix is replacing the broken slate and renewing the flashing with metal.
Is it safe to walk on a slate roof?
Walking on slate is best avoided. The stone cracks under weight, especially older slate, and it is very slippery when wet, icy or covered in moss. Professionals work from ladders hooked over the ridge for this reason, and homeowners are safer looking from the ground.
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. 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.
How long does a slate roof last?
Hard slate can last well over a century, while soft slate lasts a shorter but still long span. The nails and flashing need attention long before the slate does. Kept up with repairs, a slate roof can serve for generations.
More questions? Call (551) 355-3321
Related services
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
New slate roofs planned around the slate grade, the framing and the details that let stone last a century, for new homes, additions and full reroofs.
Learn moreFlashing Repair
Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof edges, before hidden rot spreads into walls and decking.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Stopping water at the pipe boots, flashing, valleys and nail holes where roofs actually leak, with the damage underneath checked too.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
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Call (551) 355-3321 to talk to a roofer serving Englewood, NJ.