Slate and Tile Roofing Leeds

General Roofing: Slates & Tiles.

When is comes to Roofing in General, the majority of the time either Slates or Tiles are used.
(for a list see Materials Info)

             Clay Tiles                              Slate Tiles                          Concrete Tiles

General Roofing Repairs: It is very important that your roof as well as the guttering are kept in good condition with good quality Slates & Tiles to keep the building weatherproof. The Use of inferior slates or tiles can lead to further expensive work below roof level.

The damage caused by ineffective slates and tiles can lead to the rotting of the structural timbers supporting the roof, damp in lower ceilings, moisture accessing the electrical systems, damage to decorative finishes, health problems through mold and a whole host of other expensive issues.

Different Slates & Tiles have different life spans. The materials used and the quality of the workmanship aswell as exposure to the elements will all have a say in the effective life of the roofing system. Some are guaranteed for 20 yrs, others 40 while some last over a hundred years. 

OLDER BUILDINGS:

Many older building were roofed placing batons directly on to the structural roof timbers, the tiles or slates were placed directly onto the batons then back pointed to give them a solid foundation.

The main problems here is that over the years the pointing behind the tiles becomes very dry and brittle and falls away, usually onto your attic floor, weakening the integrity of the roof system, allowing for the ingress of driving rain. Not Only was this old roofing method more prone to failure it gives less insulation to the building; raising heating costs & damaging the environment.
(see Roofing Tips for checking your roof)

CONSERVATION AREAS:

If you live in a conservation area your local planning department may only allow you to use certain Slates or Tiles for your roof. You may also be able to get a grant towards the cost of this from them.