There’s quite a bit to love about the look of a slate roof. Recognized as one of the most aesthetically appealing types of roof materials, it is a consideration for many people. Slate is a premium roofing system created using natural slate tiles and other roofing materials to create a stunning structural and architectural element for any home.
Before deciding on slate, which can be a higher-end price point than other types of roofs, property owners should take a closer look at the benefits and features it offers.
The Pros of Using Slate Roofing
There are a lot of benefits to choosing slate as a roofing solution. Consider these reasons why so many choose this material over others.
Attractive
Slate has a refined, more modern look than most other types of roofing. For those seeking a home that looks more contemporary with more geometric lines, this material works very well for that. It can work well with just about any home style, including a traditional home and an ultra-modern home. It continues to look fantastic for years to come, too, without a lot of maintenance on it.
Durability
Slate is very durable as it is mostly comprised of natural stone. This is one of the most important reasons to choose it over other products on the market. When installed properly by a professional roofing contractor, it can last for 50 years, and sometimes twice as long as that.
It’s a natural material
Slate is natural. It is one of the only types of roofing materials that are fully natural without other components within them. There’s nothing added to them which gives any home a truly natural appeal. That makes slate an environmentally friendly option as well.
Slate roofs are highly water resistant
It’s also highly water resistant thanks to this all-natural, dense design. That helps to minimize wood structural damage since water simply cannot penetrate through it.
Your roof will be fireproof and pest-proof
As a hard stone, slate doesn’t make it possible for fire to break through, which can provide your property with better fire retardation. It’s less likely to encourage fire to spread. More so, pests cannot get through it and do not eat at it, unlike other types of roofing materials. Termites and carpenter ants aren’t interested in it either.
Enhanced home value
In many situations, slate is an excellent selling point for a home. It’s not likely that the home’s roof will need replacing in your lifetime, and that means that durability passes on to others who come after you. When maintained, it can look fantastic and even keep up with the trends in home design and looks. It creates the perfect backdrop for just about any home design.
The Cons of replacing your Omaha roof with a slate roof
It certainly sounds like slate is an excellent overall choice, and it can be for many homes. However, there are a few drawbacks you should know about when choosing it over other products.
It’s expensive
This type of durability and overall style costs a bit more. The key reason why it costs more is that it is harder to obtain and requires more skilled professionals for the installation. Some of the very best products tend to cost between $1,000 and $2,000 per square installed (each square is about 100 square feet). That makes it one of the more exclusive products on the market. (Keep in mind, you’re not likely to need to replace it for decades, which means it does pay off long-term).
The Materials are very heavy
Having a strong roofing structure to support slate’s much higher weight is also important. A square of slate will weigh up to four times as much as traditional composite shingles, at about 800 to 1,000 pounds per square. That’s much more when it comes to weight, and that needs to be compensated for when it comes to choosing these products. The roof structure needs to be highly durable and capable of handling that additional eight.
It takes a pro to install a slate roof
It’s also important to consider the installation process. Unlike other types of roofing materials, slate requires a highly skilled professional to install it. Not all roofing contractors do this type of work because of the precision detail and the more difficult process. Most certainly, it is not a type of do-it-yourself project. Keeping that in mind, professional installation also helps ensure it’s done well, reducing risks.
Maintenance for natural slate roofs
Overall, slate is super durable and easy to count on through most weather events and hailstorms. However, it can crack easily. In short, slate is easy to maintain until there is a problem. When there is a concern, like a crack, it’s more expensive to repair. Having an annual inspection of the roof (something all homeowners should do) will help pinpoint areas of concern that can be shored up quickly. However, it’s important to note that it can add to the cost of selecting this material because maintenance is often necessary.
You can’t walk on them
Keep this in mind as a preventative step in creating those costly problems. It’s not possible to walk on slate roofing because of the overall damage this can cause. More so, if a fire were to break out under the roof, firefighters will find it nearly impossible to break through the roof to access the fire. While this may not be a deal breaker, it is important to know what to expect before buying these roofs.
Should You Invest in a Slate Roof?
Making the decision to invest in a slate roof is often a personal one. There’s certainly a lot of benefit to doing so, and when well-maintained, they can be rather easy to manage over the long term. More so, it’s always best to hire a skilled professional to do any type of roofing work for you, and one that specializes in slate roofs will know the importance of ensuring the structural integrity of the home is solid to allow for the placement of this roofing material.
Take a look at some products to determine if it works for your needs. Many times, it’s an outstanding option for roofs.
