Valley replacement
Valleys get new copper or other long life metal with the slates relaid along each side.
Slate Roofing
Slate Roof Repair Montvale, NJ
A roofer in Montvale can repair a slate roof by replacing broken slates, rehanging slipped ones on copper hooks and renewing the flashing and valleys where most slate leaks start. Dial (551) 390-0362 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. Rusted nails let slates slip loose one by one, which is why slipped slates often show up in gutters.
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.
Do not climb onto a slate roof to look. Walking on slate breaks it and is dangerous when the stone is wet, so slate roofers use hook ladders and staging instead of walking the field. From the yard, note any missing or slipped slates, flaking surfaces and rusted metal at valleys or chimneys.
Slate Roof Repair is often paired with slate roof replacement and slate roof installation, depending on the cause.
Looking for Montvale slate roof repair? Call (551) 390-0362 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
The slate roof repair process
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.
Remove broken slate
A slate ripper slides under the broken slate, hooks each nail and cuts it so the slate slides out without disturbing its neighbors. Nothing around the repair has to come off.
Hang a replacement
The new slate goes in and is hung on a slate hook, or nailed through the gap above and covered with a copper bib. Salvaged slate of the same type and color often gives the closest match.
Renew the metal
Worn flashing is renewed by removing the surrounding slates, installing new metal and rehanging the same slates. 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
Slipped slate rehanging
Slipped slates are put back and secured before they fall and break.
Slate replacement
Cracked or missing slates are replaced with matching slate without disturbing the slates around them.
Old patch removal
Failed tar repairs are cleaned off and done properly to stop trapped moisture.
Flashing repair
Step and counter flashing at chimneys, dormers and walls are renewed instead of being covered with tar.
Related service
Slate Roof Inspection Montvale, NJ
Inspecting slate is about telling a stone problem from a fastener or flashing problem. 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.
In Montvale, a slate roof inspection is done mostly from ladders and with a drone so the inspector does not crack the slate checking it. The attic is checked as well for stains, daylight and rotted sheathing boards. The result should tell you how many repairs are needed now, what can wait and how much life the slate has left.
Related service
Slate Roofing Company Montvale, NJ
Slate is a specialty, and a slate roofing company should show it knows the trade. 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.
When looking for a slate roofing company in Montvale, ask about past slate jobs and whether they keep salvaged slate on hand for matching. Matching size, thickness and color is what makes a repair disappear into the roof. One call to (551) 390-0362 is a good place to start.
Local help
Slate Roof Repair Near Me
In Montvale, slate tends to cap older and historic homes, and many of those roofs are still on their original stone. On older slate roofs in Montvale and nearby towns like Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, Saddle River and Hillsdale, the most common repairs are slipped slates from rusted nails and leaking valleys or chimney flashing, which is why finding a roofer who knows slate is worth the extra effort.
Need slate roof repair around Montvale? Call (551) 390-0362 for a Montvale roofer who serves the towns around it too.
What the local climate does to a roof
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 Montvale is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Montvale know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about slate roof repair
Is roof cement a good fix for a slate roof?
Roof cement is a shortcut that tends to cause more trouble on slate. They dry out and crack, hold moisture against the slate and add work for the next repair. A real repair uses new slate and new flashing instead.
Can a slate roof be repaired instead of replaced?
Most slate roofs can be repaired as long as the stone itself is still sound. 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.
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. Fasteners and flashing are what wear out first, which is why repairs keep slate roofs going so long. With timely repairs, many slate roofs outlive several generations of owners.
Can I walk on my slate roof?
Slate is not made to be walked on. Slate breaks easily underfoot and becomes dangerous when wet. Professionals work from ladders hooked over the ridge for this reason, and homeowners are safer looking from the ground.
What causes slates to slip?
The nails holding each slate are the usual culprit. Older slate roofs were often hung with iron or steel nails that rust through long before the slate wears out, letting slates slide down and fall. 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 (551) 390-0362
Often needed together
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
Natural slate roofs installed over a solid deck with copper nails, proper headlap and long life flashing, built to match the life of the stone.
Learn moreFlashing Repair
Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof edges, with new metal instead of another layer of caulk.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Finding where water gets through the roof and sealing it at the source, so the stain on the ceiling stops growing.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet slate roof repair help in Montvale
Call (551) 390-0362 for a local roofer in Montvale and nearby towns.