Why terrace slate roofs reach this point
Victorian slate roofs across Oxford were fixed with iron nails, and after a century or more those nails rust through. Slates start to slide one at a time, then several at once, and patch repairs stop keeping up. The junctions fail first: the valley between dormers carries water from two slopes, and the lead and mortar at chimneys and dormer cheeks crack and lift.
A re-roof deals with all of it at once. New felt and battens give the slates a sound, dry base, the valley is lined new, and the dry ridge system replaces mortar that would otherwise crack again in a few winters. Read more about slate roofs and our work for Oxford roofers.
Signs your roof needs similar work
- Slates sliding out of line on more than one slope
- Damp on the walls of a dormer room
- Water staining near a chimney breast
- Moss and debris packed into the valley