Slate Roof Maintenance: Advice Roofers In Winston Salem Usually Give Homeowners

By Author: Lenore Rushford
Total Articles: 2
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A slate roof is made from the material of the same name, which is essentially a metamorphic rock that has been hardened due to a very long period of exposure to extreme pressure beneath the earth's surface, making it an excellent and strong choice to protect your home against external elements. Slate, however, whilst durable and long-lasting, is in need of regular maintenance and repairs by your trusted roofers in Winston Salem or Lewisville, North Carolina.

While slate roofs significantly vary in appearance and strength depending on the quarry, wherein materials forged in different natural conditions with different minute components will have varying properties, they can be classified into two general categories: hard and soft. To distinguish between the two, know that black slates are almost always soft, while colored ones are usually hard.

You have to know the original color of your slate roof, as there are some soft slates that could fade due to sunlight, so you might mistake them as hard or colored slates. There are also a number of professional “slaters” whom ...
... you can hire to find out for sure. This information is essential in determining if you should have your slate roof problem fixed or if you should have your roof completely replaced.

Some experts claim that hard slates could keep working for your home anywhere from 75 to 200 years, while soft slates have an average lifespan of about 50 to 125 years. Should you find problems like granules falling off or cracks in hard slate, you should have it repaired as soon as you can, since its longevity makes it more practical, whereas soft slate roofs in a similar damaged condition might be in need of complete replacement.

Leaks in particular are turning into a difficult problem to deal with because homeowners tend to wait until several slates are damaged before calling for roof repair services. The truth is, you should call dependable roofers in Lewisville or Winston Salem for maintenance even if there are just a few broken slate tiles that could put your home at risk for water damage.

Entrust your slate roof to a professional for repairs or installation, but you should also see to it that you know how to keep your roofing clean. For information on cleaning slate roofs, check out ehow.com/how_6665825_clean-slate-roofs.html.