What are the benefits of slate roofing?
If you wish to beautify your home, enhance property value, and add curb appeal, consider slate roofing. This elegant covering gives your home a natural yet refined appearance. Properly installed and maintained, slate roofs can last more than 125 years. They are resistant to fire, energy efficient, and attractive. The primary drawbacks of slate tile roofing are their weight and cost. Because they are made of stone, it may be necessary to structurally reinforce your home before you can install a slate roof. Nevertheless, these are some of the longest lasting and most appealing roofs on the market.
Slate roofing gives your home a unique, elegant, and stately appearance. Homeowners can choose from a variety of colors, sizes, and thicknesses, further enhancing the beauty of their roof. In addition to being attractive, slate tiles are resistant to fire and strong winds. Their weight makes it so that they don’t easily move during gale-force winds, and their stone composition makes them a great choice if you live in an area prone to wildfires.
If you choose to install slate on your home, you can be proud of your environmentally conscious decision. Roofing waste accounts for roughly five percent of total waste sent to landfills each year. The majority of that comes from asphalt shingle roofing. But because slate is a natural stone that lasts more than one hundred years, you eliminate pounds of trash going to the landfill.
Finally, slate tiles are long lasting. Soft slate lasts anywhere from 50 to 125 years and hard slate can run from 75 to 200 years. Actual longevity depends on the conditions in which the roof is installed as well as the level of care and maintenance it receives.
Maintenance and Upkeep of a Slate Roof
Most slate roofs can be categorized as either hard or soft. Hard slate lasts longer than soft slate, and knowing whether to repair or replace your slate tile roof depends on the type of slate you have. A “slater” (an expert slate roof installer) can let you know which type of slate roof you have, generally by just tapping on it. However, most of the time, colored slates are almost always hard slate and soft slate is almost always black. If you have even a century-old hard slate roof, you can probably get another hundred years out of it. If it’s soft slate, though, it may be best to replace it.
Most leaks on slate roofs are caused by tiles that are broken or missing or faulty flashing. If the issue is with the tiles themselves, an experienced slater can pull out the bad slates and replace them with good slate tiles, making for an affordable and quick fix.
Is a slate roof right for me?
Slate roofing labor and material costs far exceed that of traditional asphalt shingles. For comparison, installing an asphalt shingle roof on a 2,000-square-foot home would cost about $200 per square (each square equalling a 10-by-10-foot area). In contrast, covering a 2,000-square-foot home with slate would run about $1,500 per square. The difference is stark but so is the longevity, durability, and attractiveness between these two roof installations.
When it all boils down to it, choosing to install slate on your roof has to do with budget. If you can afford a slate roof and if you live in an affluent area where this type of roof would exponentially increase property value, go for it. However, if you live in an average neighborhood where the return on your investment would be minimal at the time of resale, a slate roof may not be your best bet.
If you’re interested in learning more or wish to pursue a slate roof installation in Sugar Hill, GA, the slaters at Adams & Sons Roofing can help. Give us a call at 770-271-7075, and let us walk you through your options.
