Chimney flashing
Wall and chimney flashing is rebuilt instead of being covered with tar.
Slate Roofing
Slate Roof Repair Boonton, NJ
A roofer in Boonton 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 (862) 420-3040 to talk with a local roofer about the repair.
Natural slate can last a century or more, so most slate repairs deal with what holds it on and what seals it. The nails that hang each slate and the metal at valleys and walls are what wear out, long before most of the stone does. When nails rust through, slates slide out of place and leave gaps, a problem sometimes called nail sickness.
Slate repair is a specialty, and the methods matter. 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.
Look from the ground, not from the roof. Slate breaks easily underfoot and is slippery, which is why slate work is done from ladders and brackets rather than on foot. From the ground, binoculars show slipped slates, missing pieces and rusted flashing well enough to describe on the phone.
Slate Roof Repair is often paired with slate roof replacement and slate roof installation, depending on the cause.
Looking for Boonton slate roof repair? Call (862) 420-3040 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Boonton.
Call nowThe process
How slate roof repair works
Slate repair follows a careful routine.
Rig the roof
The roofer sets a hook ladder over the ridge or installs roof brackets, so weight stays off the slate. 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. If many slates are slipping, it tells the roofer the nails are failing roof wide.
Remove broken slate
With a slate ripper, the roofer cuts the nails holding the broken slate and draws it out. The slates above stay in place the whole time.
Set new slate
A replacement slate matched in size, thickness and color is slid up into place and held with a copper or stainless slate hook. Matching is easiest with salvaged slate of a similar type and age.
Fix the valleys
Worn flashing is renewed by removing the surrounding slates, installing new metal and rehanging the same slates. Copper is the traditional choice because it lasts about as long as hard slate.
What is included
Common slate roof repairs
Slate replacement
Broken slates are cut out and new ones hung in their place using hooks or covered copper nails.
Slipped slate rehanging
Slipped slates are put back and secured where their nails rusted through.
Old patch removal
Old tar and roof cement patches are removed where possible which also improves the look of the roof.
Valley repair
Worn or rusted valley metal is replaced where many slate leaks begin.
Related service
Slate Roof Inspection Boonton, NJ
A slate roof inspection decides whether the roof needs a few repairs or a bigger plan. It covers slate condition, nail failure, valley metal, chimney and wall flashing and any old tar repairs. Tapping a slate is a quick test: sound slate rings, worn slate thuds.
For a slate roof inspection in Boonton, much of the surface can be checked from a ladder, with binoculars and with drone footage, so the stone is not walked on. 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 Boonton, 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. A roofer whose first suggestion is coating the roof with tar is a red flag.
A slate roofing company that works in Boonton should be able to describe recent slate repairs and where it sources matching slate. Matching size, thickness and color is what makes a repair disappear into the roof. Call (862) 420-3040 to talk with a roofer who works on slate.
Local help
Slate Roof Repair Near Me
In Boonton, slate tends to cap older and historic homes, and many of those roofs are still on their original stone. From Boonton out to Lake Hiawatha, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany and Towaco, slate repairs tend to involve slipped slates, worn valleys and flashing that has outlived its service life, and storms that drop limbs on the roof add broken slates to the list.
Searching for slate roof repair near me from Boonton or Lake Hiawatha, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany and Towaco? Call (862) 420-3040 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
How the weather here affects roofs around Boonton
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. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. That is why roof repair in Boonton is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Local knowledge
Roofers in Boonton know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Slate Roof Repair FAQ
What causes slates to slip?
Slipped slates come from failed nails far more often than from broken stone. 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. Individual slates are rehung with hooks, but widespread slipping points to relaying the roof with copper nails.
How long does a slate roof last?
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. With timely repairs, many slate roofs outlive several generations of owners.
Is it safe to walk on a slate roof?
Walking on slate is best avoided. 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.
Can tar be used to repair slate?
Roof cement is a shortcut that tends to cause more trouble on slate. 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. The lasting fix is replacing the broken slate and renewing the flashing with metal.
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. It is when the slate is delaminating widely, or slipping everywhere, that a full strip and relay becomes the better plan. A slate inspection shows which situation you are in.
More questions? Call (862) 420-3040
Related services
Slate Roof Replacement
Full slate roof replacement when the stone, the nails or the flashing have failed across the roof, planned around the weight and look of the home.
Learn moreSlate Roof Installation
Slate roof installation from choosing hard or soft slate to the final copper ridge, so the nails and flashing last as long as the slate.
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
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 servicesTalk to a Boonton roofer about slate roof repair
Call (862) 420-3040 to talk to a roofer serving Boonton, NJ.