Slipped slate rehanging
Slipped slates are put back and secured where their nails rusted through.
Slate Roofing
Slate Roof Repair Montville, NJ
Most slate roofs in Montville 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 (862) 420-3039 to talk with a local roofer about the repair.
A slate roof leak rarely means the slate is worn out. Hard slate can last well over a hundred years and soft slate somewhat less, but in both cases the nails, flashing and valleys often wear out first. A slipped slate in the gutter is a common sign that the nails, not the stone, are failing.
Repairing slate the right way uses tools and materials made for it. A slate ripper slides under the broken slate to cut its nails, then a new slate of matching size, thickness and color is slipped in and held with a copper or stainless slate hook or a copper nail covered by a metal bib. Roof cement smeared over cracks and seams is a common bad repair that traps water and makes proper repairs harder later.
Do not climb onto a slate roof to look. 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 Montville also turn up a need for slate roof replacement or slate roof installation.
Looking for Montville slate roof repair? Call (862) 420-3039 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a slate roof repair
Here is how a slate roofer usually handles a repair.
Set safe access
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.
Pin down the source
The roofer checks whether the problem is a single broken slate, rusted nails across a slope or flashing at a valley, chimney or wall. If many slates are slipping, it tells the roofer the nails are failing roof wide.
Pull damaged slates
With a slate ripper, the roofer cuts the nails holding the broken slate and draws it out. Nothing around the repair has to come off.
Set new slate
The new slate goes in and is hung on a slate hook, or nailed through the gap above and covered with a copper bib. Matching is easiest with salvaged slate of a similar type and age.
Renew the metal
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
Slate repairs a roofer can handle
Slate replacement
Broken slates are cut out and new ones hung in their place using hooks or covered copper nails.
Flashing repair
Step and counter flashing at chimneys, dormers and walls are renewed instead of being covered with tar.
Valley repair
Leaking valleys are rebuilt with the slates relaid along each side.
Old patch removal
Old tar and roof cement patches are removed where possible so water can drain freely again.
Related service
Slate Roof Inspection Montville, NJ
Before repairs, an inspection sorts out whether the slate itself is sound or nearing the end. It covers slate condition, nail failure, valley metal, chimney and wall flashing and any old tar repairs. Hard slate in good condition rings when tapped, while worn soft slate sounds dull and breaks easily.
For a slate roof inspection in Montville, much of the surface can be checked from a ladder, with binoculars and with drone footage, so the stone is not walked on. Inside, the attic shows where water has gotten through and whether the board sheathing is sound. 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 Montville, NJ
Choosing a slate roofing company matters more than with most roofs, because slate needs its own tools, methods and experience. Good questions include how they remove broken slate, how they fasten replacements and how they avoid walking on the roof. Be wary of anyone who wants to tar the roof or tear off a roof with mostly sound slate at the first visit.
For Montville homeowners, a good sign is a slate roofer who keeps a stock of salvaged slate and talks about repair before replacement. Salvaged slate that matches the original is the key to repairs that do not stand out. Call (862) 420-3039 to talk with a roofer who works on slate.
Local help
Slate Roof Repair Near Me
Around Montville, most slate roofs date back decades, and many still have plenty of good slate left. On older slate roofs in Montville and nearby towns like Lake Hiawatha, Towaco, Boonton and Pine Brook, the most common repairs are slipped slates from rusted nails and leaking valleys or chimney flashing, so steady repairs can keep a slate roof going for many more decades.
Need slate roof repair around Montville? Call (862) 420-3039 for a Montville roofer who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects roofs around Montville
Winters here are long and cold, with snow on the roof for weeks at a time and plenty of nights below freezing. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the 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 Montville is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why act early
Less damage
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Montville and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about slate roof repair
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. Kept up with repairs, a slate roof can serve for generations.
Is roof cement a good fix for a slate roof?
Tar patches on slate fail and make proper repairs harder. 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.
Is it safe to walk on a slate roof?
Slate is not made to be walked on. 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.
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. Replacement makes sense when a large share of the slate is flaking, soft or breaking, or when nails are failing across the whole roof. A slate inspection shows which situation you are in.
What causes slates to slip?
Slipped slates come from failed nails far more often than from broken stone. 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.
More questions? Call (862) 420-3039
Other services that may help
Slate Roof Replacement
Slate roof replacement that strips the roof, sorts reusable slate and rebuilds the deck, underlayment and copper flashing, with salvage of good slate wherever possible.
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
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 Montville
Call (862) 420-3039 for a local roofer in Montville and nearby towns.