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Expert Roofers in Surrey Tread Carefully When Installing Slate Covers


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Date Posted: March 20, 2014

If you prefer a more olden appearance for your house, slate roofing may be high on the list of preferred options. All it takes is quality materials selection and installation by a skilled roofing crew. An article in the informational blog Ansyris, however, noted that careful planning is necessary to produce the desired effects.


Slate has been a common roofing material for houses in England for centuries, especially in mountainous places. There are also select slate varieties from the United Kingdom that have garnered admiration all over the world for their sheer resilience and longevity. When you are on the road to adorning your home with a slate roof, skilled roofers from Surrey—like those working with Brunwin Professional Roofing Services Ltd—are the ones to call for the job.

Heavier Sheets

As slate roofing tiles are heavier than materials such as bitumen or asphalt shingles, it’s important to check whether your house’s structure can even handle the combined weight of thousands of slate tiles laid on the rooftop. Any leaks can seep down to the underlying supports, and the Ansyris article noted that things even get worse in periods of snowy weather. A workable solution will be to at least reinforce the house’s main support frames and calculate for the expected load of the slate tiles.

Picking Slates

There is a vast assortment of slate roofing tile types to consider, each with its own unique natural colouring. Existing varieties include slate from Wales, Cornwall, and Cumbria, plus rock imported from quarries in North America and Brazil.

Your preferred roofing company will help choose the slate variety in terms of load strength, carbonate content, freeze-thaw cycle resistance, and water absorption. The latter two are paramount as seepage of water compromises the tile’s integrity over time, especially when snow thaws; slate tiles with high carbonate levels discolour after a short period. Some experts say are of exceptional quality when they have marks such as A1 for little or no water absorption, and T1 for strong freeze-thaw cycle resistance, but be prepared for a rather high quote.

Taking Care of Business

A seasoned Surrey roofer, such as Brunwin Professional Roofing Services Ltd, will have a full selection of services to maximise the quality of your slate tiles. Professionals can perform general repairs to the roof to prepare it for the new roofing assembly. Each assignment can be backed up with insurance and guarantees of between ten and 20 years.

Slate roofs are long regarded as being able to stand for decades. You can give your house that resilience when you have a skilled roofing company by your side.

(Source: What You Need To Know Before Choosing A Slate Roof, Ansyris)