Slipped slate rehanging
Loose slates are rehung on copper hooks before they fall and break.
Slate Roofing
Slate Roof Repair Morristown, NJ
A roofer in Morristown 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) 363-5004 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. 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.
Slate repair is a specialty, and the methods matter. The broken slate is removed by cutting its nails with a slate ripper, and the replacement is secured with a slate hook or a nail under a small copper bib so no nail is exposed. Coating slate with tar or roof cement only hides problems and stains the stone.
Stay off the roof yourself. 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 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.
Dealing with this in Morristown, NJ right now? Call (862) 363-5004 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a slate roof repair
Slate repair follows a careful routine.
Rig the roof
Before any repair, the roofer rigs ladders and brackets that keep feet off the stone. Slate is never worked on while it is wet or icy.
Find the cause
The roofer checks whether the problem is a single broken slate, rusted nails across a slope or flashing at a valley, chimney or wall. Widespread slipping points to nail failure rather than isolated damage.
Cut the old nails
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
A matching slate is fitted and secured with a hook or a covered copper nail so no fastener is exposed. Salvaged slate of the same type and color often gives the closest match.
Repair the flashing
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
What slate roof repair covers
Flashing repair
Step and counter flashing at chimneys, dormers and walls are renewed instead of being covered with tar.
Tar cleanup
Roof cement over slates and seams is replaced with real repairs which also improves the look of the roof.
Valley repair
Valleys get new copper or other long life metal with the slates relaid along each side.
Slate replacement
Damaged slates are swapped for sound ones without disturbing the slates around them.
Related service
Slate Roof Inspection Morristown, NJ
Inspecting slate is about telling a stone problem from a fastener or flashing problem. Key checks include the slate type, how many slates are cracked or delaminating, whether nails are rusting and how worn the valleys and flashings are. Hard slate in good condition rings when tapped, while worn soft slate sounds dull and breaks easily.
In Morristown, a slate roof inspection is done mostly from ladders and with a drone so the inspector does not crack the slate checking it. 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 Morristown, NJ
Slate is a specialty, and a slate roofing company should show it knows the trade. Ask about their tools and methods: slate rippers, hooks, staging and the flashing metals they use. A roofer whose first suggestion is coating the roof with tar is a red flag.
For Morristown 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. One call to (862) 363-5004 is a good place to start.
Local help
Slate Roof Repair Near Me
Around Morristown, most slate roofs date back decades, and many still have plenty of good slate left. Homes in Morristown and neighboring communities such as Cedar Knolls, Morris Plains, Whippany and Madison with original slate usually need nail and flashing repairs long before the stone itself wears out, and storms that drop limbs on the roof add broken slates to the list.
For slate roof repair in Morristown, NJ or nearby towns like Cedar Knolls, Morris Plains, Whippany and Madison, call (862) 363-5004 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
Roofs in this climate
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Morristown, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Roofers who know Morristown
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Morristown and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Slate Roof Repair questions
What causes slates to slip?
Rusted nails are the usual cause. 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.
Can I walk on my slate roof?
Slate roofs should be kept free of foot traffic. 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.
How long does a slate roof last?
Slate is among the longest lasting roofing materials, with hard slate often lasting more than a century. The nails and flashing need attention long before the slate does. With timely repairs, many slate roofs outlive several generations of owners.
Can a slate roof be repaired instead of replaced?
Slate roofs are built to be repaired one slate at a time. 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.
Can tar be used to repair slate?
Tar and roof cement are poor fixes for 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. A real repair uses new slate and new flashing instead.
More questions? Call (862) 363-5004
Other services that may help
Slate Roof Replacement
Full slate roof replacement when the stone, the nails or the flashing have failed across the roof, so the new roof lasts as long as the old one did.
Learn moreSlate Roof Installation
Slate roof installation from choosing hard or soft slate to the final copper ridge, built to match the life of the stone.
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
Stopping water at the pipe boots, flashing, valleys and nail holes where roofs actually leak, with the damage underneath checked too.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Morristown roofer about slate roof repair
Call (862) 363-5004 for a local roofer in Morristown and nearby towns.