Slate Roof Repair
A slipped slate on an older roof is usually nail sickness, not a bad slate, and is often fixable without disturbing the rest of the roof.
Nail sickness is the leading cause of slipped or failing slate roofs. On older roofs, typically 40 to 60 years or more, the iron or steel nails originally used to fix the slates corrode over time. As fixings fail, slates slip or fall, letting in water that can damage battens, felt and timber long before any staining appears on the ceiling.
As specialist slate roofers, Sherford Roofing repairs slate roofs across Plymouth and Devon, either a full re-nail using copper fixings where nail sickness is widespread, or a targeted point-repair using slate hooks or lead/copper tingles to re-secure individual slipped slates without disturbing the rest of the roof.
Our Process
Inspect at Roof Level
We check the fixings and the extent of slippage, not just the symptom, nail sickness on an older roof is often more widespread than the visible slipped slates suggest.
Diagnose Nail Sickness
We confirm whether corroded fixings are the cause and assess whether targeted repair or a wider re-nail is the right call.
Point Repair or Re-Nail
Individual slipped slates are re-secured with lead or copper tingles or slate hooks; widespread nail sickness may call for re-nailing that section with copper fixings.
Check Underlying Damage
Battens and felt beneath slipped slates are checked for water damage that needs addressing too.
Slate Roof Repair FAQs
Usually nail sickness, fixing corrosion, but it can also be storm damage, foot traffic, or a manufacturing or original fixing fault.
Yes, via lead or copper tingles or slate hooks, this is a common, cost-effective repair for isolated slips that doesn't require disturbing the whole roof.
The clearest sign is multiple slipped or displaced slates on a roof over 40 years old, especially if they're concentrated in one area, a roof-level inspection confirms the extent and whether wider re-nailing is worthwhile.
Need Slate Roof Repair?
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