How to Extend Your Slate Roof’s Life Span

27 October 2021

As a property owner, it is only natural to expect our roofing system to last a long time. But since different types of roofing materials have a different lifespan, it is important to know how long your roofing can last. 
For example, slate roofing, which is one of the most widely used roofing materials, is not only beautiful but is also among the most durable and long-lasting. As long as installed and maintained properly, slate roofs can last for more than seven to eight decades, and can even reach a hundred years. But what exactly is a slate roof? 
Slate roofing is a premium roofing system made of natural slate tiles and other premium materials. Since slate roof tiles are naturally made, manufacturer warranties are not provided.  
To ensure that your slate roof can last a lifetime, it is important to know the things you can do to make them last. 

• Hire an experienced slate roof contractor 

As long as the slate roof is installed and flashed properly, there should be nothing to worry about it getting damaged. But to ensure its proper installation, you need to hire contractors who are experienced in working with slate tiles. Since the slate tiles are easily breakable, each of them has to be handled individually.  
The roofing contractor plays a huge role in making your slate roof installation a success. By making sure that the contractor you hire has the knowledge and experience, you can prevent overspending due to broken tiles and you can ensure the quality of your slate roofing. 
 

• Determine how exposed your roofing is to harsh weather 

While a slate roof is among the most durable material in the market, the weather condition can still affect its lifespan. If you are living in an area where the weather is normally good all year round, you should not be worried about your roof’s health.   However, if your area gets extreme weather regularly, this can become a huge factor in your roof’s health. While there is nothing you can do about it, it will still make a huge advantage to be aware of the extreme weather. It will also help to secure homeowners insurance to prepare for unforeseen weather occurrences.   

• Avoid foot traffic on your slate roof 

As soon as your slate roof is installed, you should not let anyone from walking into it unless they know how they can do it without making damage to the roof tiles. Remember that slate roof tiles are easily breakable, thus need extra care when handling and walking on them. If not, you will end up having a leaky roof and spend on a costly replacement.  Don’t let anyone walk on your slate roof if they don’t know what they are doing, be it a chimney sweeper or a satellite installer.