Slate roofs offer a dazzling rustic appearance, though any homeowner with slate shingles knows the maintenance requirements are less than ideal. While the natural roofing material can last decades, it requires constant cleaning, maintenance, and upkeep for optimal performance.
Why Slate Roof Maintenance Is Such a Headache
Slate roof maintenance can become quite a headache for many homeowners because of the constant cleaning requirements, professional maintenance costs, high damage risks, and short shingle lifespans. How long a slate roof lasts depends on several factors.
Slate roofs require expert installations and strict maintenance adherence for optimal longevity. If your roofing contractor makes any mistakes when installing the system or you skip the required cleaning, the roof will not last as long as it should.
Slate Roofs Require Constant Cleaning and Maintenance
Slate is a very porous material that easily absorbs water, creating the perfect environment for growth. Moss, algae, and other plant growth atop your roof can lead to costly problems and damage, so you must consistently maintain the roofing system to prevent growth.
Many homeowners use a rake or broom to brush off any large pieces of debris. While this tactic can remove some plants, it cannot eliminate the microscopic roots growing beneath the roof’s surface. Sometimes, only partially removing such plants promotes even stronger regrowth, creating stricter maintenance requirements for you in the future.
You may also use a garden hose or try pressure washing to remove more particles from the roofing surface, though this is only a Band-Aid solution. Many homeowners attempt to use harsh chemicals, like bleach or ammonia, on the roof’s surface to kill plant growth, though this can permanently damage the slate. Essentially, all at-home DIY solutions only offer temporary maintenance fixes, which means homeowners must hire roof cleaning professionals for regular upkeep.
Maintenance Costs Quickly Add Up
If you want your slate roof to last, you must hire a professional for annual roof cleaning and inspections. While you can handle some basic cleaning without assistance, professional cleaners know how to clean a slate roof with the right products for optimal results.
Annual maintenance costs can quickly add up. When you first invested in your roof, you likely didn’t expect to continue paying hundreds or more each year just to keep it clean.
Some homeowners may hire professionals more frequently than once annually if they feel uncomfortable using a ladder to access the roof themselves. In such scenarios, you would have to pay a professional multiple times yearly for consistent slate roof cleaning.
Tiles May Break When You Clean a Slate Roof
Slate loses durability over time, especially as it absorbs water and loses its integrity from various environmental factors. Tiles can easily break from storms or simple wear and tear. For example, when you clean a slate roof, you may accidentally break a few tiles, resulting in costly repairs.
One Storm Can Ruin All Your Hard Work
While slate may be a fairly durable roofing material, it isn’t invincible. Even if you spend years perfectly maintaining the system according to all recommendations, your hard work may go to waste from one severe storm.
What’s the Alternative? Composite Slate Roofs
Are you ready to put the pressure washer down and find a new stylish roof that’s just as durable but requires virtually zero maintenance? If so, you should consider a composite slate roof.
Composite synthetic roofing contains compressed recycled plastics (and other sustainable/recyclable materials) that mimic the appearance of natural slate, cedar, or shake roofs. Composite roofs offer all the stylistic benefits of a slate roof but without the maintenance and cleaning cons. Because of the advanced shingle composition, synthetic roofs offer extreme durability, weatherproofing, longevity, fire resistance, and water resistance, all with little environmental impact.
Replace Your Roof With Brava Old World Slate Roof Tiles
If you’re ready to replace your slate roof with a synthetic material, your next question is likely, which one?
At Brava, our Old World Slate roof tiles combine the style of slate with the maintenance-free luxury of composite. Our shingles feature top-notch weatherproofing and extreme water resistance from recyclable plastics that resist moisture absorption. Because of this water resistance, algae, fungi, mold, and other plants won’t find their way into your roofing system, so you won’t have to deal with the headache of cleaning or removing them.
If you do need to clean your system of random debris, the exterior coating offers superior durability against many products, making the process easy. Our Brava Old World Slate features the highest impact resistance rating in the industry (Class 4), with Class A and C fire rating options and hail warranties to protect you from any potential weather events.
Tired of Cleaning Slate Roof Tiles? Switch to Brava
If you’re tired of cleaning slate roof tiles, it’s time to replace your roof with a composite system built for luxury, maintenance-free living. At Brava, we offer the best slate composite roofing systems on the market, available in many styles to match your home’s appearance. Skip the headache of slate roof cleaning and call Brava today at (844) 290-4196 to schedule a consultation with our team or, request a sample online right now!
