How a slate repair is done
Slate is a natural stone. A slate roof is made of overlapping stone pieces, each held on with two nails. When one cracks or slides out, a roofer who knows slate will:
- Remove the damaged slate with a tool called a slate ripper, which cuts the old nails without disturbing the slates around it.
- Match a replacement by color, size and thickness, using new or salvaged slate.
- Fasten it securely with a copper slate hook or another proper method, so it sits flat in the same pattern.
- Stay off the good slates by using ladders and roof hooks, since walking on slate can crack it.
Slate roofs in Columbus
Many of Columbus’s older homes, from German Village and Victorian Village to Olde Towne East and Clintonville, were built with slate roofs. Central Ohio’s freeze-thaw winters, summer storms and big trees all take a toll. A few missing slates can let water in and rot the wood underneath, so it pays to fix them quickly.
See slate roof repair cost in Columbus for what affects the price, and how to spot slate roof damage if you are not sure what you are looking at.
Choosing a slate roofer
Slate is different from asphalt shingles, and not every roofer works on it. Ask how long they have worked on slate, whether they use slate hooks or copper nails, and how they keep from cracking slates while they work. Ohio does not license residential roofers statewide, so ask for proof of insurance and any local registration, and get a written estimate that lists the number of slates, the materials and the cleanup.