Repair slate : the patch up holes and cracks

Slate has always been considered one of the most popular coatings of all roofing materials.This is easily explained - it is affordable to everyone is simple and straightforward in installation, unpretentious care, durable and durable enough.Therefore, the vast majority of private houses in Russia, despite the variety of more modern materials, it also has a roof slate.

However, despite all the positive qualities of this material, in spite of the strength of its constituent asbestos fibers combined with cement filling, Slate sheets can not "boast" high resistance to accentuated mechanical stress, and natural impacts on the sly "old" them.Therefore, with time on the roofing cover can form cracks or even serious holes, whereby the roof begins to leak.Completely change all roofing - an expensive and time-consuming exercise, so many homeowners resort to repair work.

Repair slate: the patch up holes and cracks - so often the question owners of homes if there were clear signs of leakage of the roof.To choose the right, are best suited for the particular case a method of bringing the roof in order, you need to consider some of the most popular technological methods.This is the subject of this publication.

main causes of the destruction of slate

Slate attracted by the fact that this material has distinct advantages over other coatings.For example, such a roof, in contrast to steel surfaces, does not corrode, it is highly resistant to moisture, temperature changes well tolerated, without giving significant practical linear expansion almost completely indifferent to the effect of ultraviolet rays.However, still have to periodically resort to its repair.

Before proceeding to the description of the technological ways of performing the repairs necessary to determine the possible causes of defects for clarity.With this information, it is possible that will be able to prevent such damage by simply drawing attention to the prevention and appropriate care for slate cover.

So, slate may cause cracks and chips for the following reasons:

• The most common - is any shock, such as dropping on the surface of the roof of the large hail or tree branches larger.It also may include inaccurate, incorrect movement on the surface of the roof.

To prevent damage to the slate with roofing or repairs, you must protect it, placing the top deck of the boards, which will increase its footprintand thereby reduce the pressure on the coating.

For the roofing and repair work on the slopes of a large slope, over 20 ÷ 25 °, especially in the area of ​​the ridge or top of the slate roof, it is necessary to have a special mobile ladder whichfix for special horse mount.

• second reason - is the emergence and development of the colonies on the surface of the slate of the simplest plants, which are attached to it, and slowly but surely destroying the structure of the material.Particularly fond of the rough surface of the roof lichens and mosses.Gain a foothold in one place, they first grow in size and then reproduce by spores and the entire roof surface.Moss grows in the joints of sheets of slate, and thus begins to lift them, why in the rain water can freely get under cover.If the moss is a fancy place at the bottom of the wave, it can delay the normal flow of water, which also leads to the roof leakage.

These phenomena usually occur on the north side of the roof, where the lack of time is the sun, or on the roof, which has a small slope ramp, allowing her delayedmoisture, contributing to the widening of these plant colonies.In addition, it is the destruction of the coating and the roof starts leaking, the whole building as a whole looks messy and not aesthetically pleasing.

To avoid the appearance of slate moss, it is recommended to be painted with special paint that fills the pores of the material, and the dispute is not what willto gain a foothold.Furthermore, the roof surface will be more smooth, and thus the normal outflow of water will be provided, which will not stagnate accumulation of dirt, often becoming a "starting point" for the onset of parasitic vegetation.

If the roof is already settled mossy colonies, but there is a desire to try to save the roof, avoiding its replacement, it is necessary to release a slate of this "garden".This process can be done in three ways:

- mechanically, using a wire brush;

- using water under high pressure;

- chemical by spraying the roof with special herbicidal compositions.

• reason of dilapidation slate can be quite trivial reason - long service life.Unfortunately, not all of the slate produced today has a proper quality, as is often at its manufacturing, for the sake of reducing production costs, are not met is not completely what the guests, but even less "demanding" TU.As a result of such sheets obtained slate coating brittle and unable to withstand even the minor bumps, cracks or provide split generally along the entire length.Failure to comply with the rules of technology may be permitted at various stages of the manufacturing process of slate, for example:

- A solution for the manufacture of slate made in violation of the recipe - not complied with the proportions of components of ingredients.

- Roofing material produced at a makeshift equipment.

- Producer added in a short asbestos fibers than the reduced strength reinforcement solution.

- not enough high-quality processing of sheets of slate.

- Shortening of the full maturity of the material - it should be at least 28 ÷ 30 days from the date of manufacture.

Unfortunately, it is seen that the products of "old school" are more than a dozen years, and modern slate often only enough for 12 ÷ 15 years.Conclusion - if you buy the material necessary to pay special attention to the reputation of the manufacturer and the obligation to provide them.

• from standing water around the chimney and vent pipes and skylights, can also occur cracking sheets of material, especially with a sharp decrease in temperature.Therefore, these problem areas require a reinforced sealing and ensure the free gathering of water.
• As mentioned above, a small slope of the roof, and stagnation of water on it can also contribute to cracking of the material.A stagnant water often becomes a consequence of the banal collection of dirt or fallen leaves, that is a kind of damming waves.
• Cause damage may be in the fact that the installation of sheets of slate was conducted in violation of the established technology of this process, and this coating may experience excessive internal stresses.
• To consolidate the material to the sheathing used conventional nail or applied rubber gaskets.In this case, over time, will necessarily cracks.
• By plugging slate nails drilled holes are too small that the temperature drops and the expansion of the material, also will damage the sheet surface.Therefore, when drilling holes should be borne in mind that slate nails need to enter them freely.But at the same time, the holes must not be too large, otherwise leakage will occur.
• Snow also adds load to the roof, and not only for its considerable weight, but also the formation of ice at the bottom of the ramp, around the eaves.The spring days period or thaw snow starts to melt, and the water flows into the bottom of the ramp and in the evening the temperature is lowered, and is formed on the edge of the slate ice, which leads to breakage of roofing material in the area.

If the slate in this place will be destroyed, then through the cracks the water will fall on the lathing, heat insulation, rafters and mauerlat for load-bearing walls, which will lead to the formation of mold and the gradual decomposition of the wood.So zealous owners of property in order to preserve all materials and elements of the roof are often arrange in the bottom of the slope and drainage channels, cable heater, which in the winter, if necessary, turn on, preventing the formation of ice dams

Now considered the main causes of damage to the slate, takinginto account, what are the possibilities to avoid them, will focus on how to detect emerging damage.

Detecting defects roofing

On a rough surface slate roofed on the truss system, it is practically impossible to see the small chips or microscopic cracks, so to some worrying signs which indicate that the roof needs repair, should pay particular attention:

• If there is at least a small leak, even imperceptible to the eye, then soon it will manifest itself in the appearance of the corners or at the junction of ceiling and wall spots of mold, the appearance of an unpleasant smell of dampness.
• If the roof is not fixed inside the insulating material, then even the smallest crack easily detected, rising to the attic after the rain.Leakage will manifest itself more dark spot as compared to the rest of the inner surface.

Now we need to focus on what area of ​​the roof is most often necessary to repair, as this information is useful when searching damage the roofing.

1. The first step is to follow the edges of the slate facing to the eaves.It is recommended to explore every spring.If the edges of the cracks, they will be easy to find - sometimes you do not even have to climb the stairs, as they can be from the bottom to notice.
2. Moss may appear on the housetop, and has no cracks and chips, but it is not necessary to wait until it will grow and take the entire surface of the slate.It was launched on the roof after the cleaning is often found very sad picture with a lot of damage.In addition, to remove several islands appeared moss is much easier and cheaper than later to clean the entire surface is undulating.
3. Cracks may form on the crest of a wave, or at its lowest point.It is more difficult to find the last, because they are imperceptible at first glance.As may be detected - it has been described above.
4. Point Break cracks are formed mainly along the line, where the slate hammered nails, and immediately visible to the naked eye.However, if these cracks have appeared so that visually noticeable, should urgently start repairing.

surveyed the roof on all the items you need to make a decision on how to be more rational to carry out repairs.

• If found significant chipped along the edge of the lower sheet, it may be necessary to replace one or all of the sheets of the first row, the more that is done the roof design allows.However, please note that the nails have to be removed with caution to avoid damage to the lower edge of next row, as he whipped it from the top to the bottom.

If you can not replace the sheets, the edge integrity can be achieved by putting a kind of patch on the inside of the sheet, butyou can not leave the coating in a damaged condition, as can not be avoided in the case of leakage.

• If the crack has gone along the ridge wave slate, it repairs using patches necessary to make by putting them on the inside and the outside.Usually, such a crack from the inside enclose a segment of the sheet galvanized iron, bent on the waveform, and the damage is superimposed on top of a special roofing tape.

• If the crack has gone across a slate plate, then no replacement already can not do.We'll have to carefully dismantle it and install a new one.

methods of repair work on the damaged areas zadelke slate

So, knowing all the details of defects of the roofing material and detection of damage to it, you must proceed to the repair work.

There are several effective ways of repairing cracks using traditional and modern materials special.But in any case, all repairs must be carried out on the surface of the roof is cleaned from dirt, debris, any whatsoever growths, foreign objects, etc.

Whichever approach is chosen for the repair work, never forget about careful driving on slate, if damage is found not on the edge of the roof, and at altitude.To avoid further damage to the slate gable roof using a ladder-a ladder and lean-to - a flooring of boards, which will help evenly distribute the weight of the person on the surface.

first method - using a conventional concrete solution

Repair slate with cement and sand can be described as the most simple and accessible way, without taking into account that the process will take place at the height - it is always a difficult job.

solution to repair slate is made of cement and sand in the proportions of 1: 2, where it is used for the small fraction washed sand and cement M-500.Instead, the solution is quite possible to use high-quality tile adhesive for exterior facade work (you can find another name - for complex reasons), can withstand high humidity and temperature changes.The adhesive has the fine texture and good adhesion to the surface of slate, since it is also made based on cement.

solution should have the consistency of a soft dough and adhere well to the surface.To improve the adhesion of materials, slate in the repair should be moistened.If the damage is too great, then it should be done under the lining of the galvanized steel roofing, sheet bending segment at the waveform and podsunuv it under crack or pothole.