*DanG roof leaking.

[wildtmpckjzg]

I hate this roof.

(I'll take some photos in the morning)

It was replaced about 4 years ago. Paid job, as I knew very little about rooves at the time.

I'm not convinced the person who did it did either though.

Basically it leaks.

Right down, just inside the glass.

(It's a slate roof on a single story extension with full height windows)

So, water is either getting in much higher up, possibly as the slates are all miss aligned and there's creep around their edges on the relatively shallow pitch, or its somehow wicking back at the gutter line.

There is membrane under the slate so either would probably dump the water in the same place. I seem to remember the chap putting a batton across the top of the beam (oak beam between window frames and roof) with the membrane under it, and I commented at the time that wouldn't any water on the membrane just be dammed on top of the beam by the lowest batton... but was assured otherwise. And I knew no better.

(I know the membrane is only really supposed to be for insects etc anyway)

Anyway, I reckon what I need to do is strip the bottom course of slates and work out what's going on. I don't know if I'll be able to change anything, but it's got to be the first action, right?

So, I'm thinking buy a ripper and have at it. If it's a wicking issue maybe I can fashion some lead or somthing to work. Of course the membrane was cut short of the gutter anyway...


If the situation is somehow rectifiable, what's the best way to re attach the lower course? Those wire tang things? A bunch of lead is just going to look horrible.

Can I glue them in with some fancy new adhesive?

I guess if I take off the lower course and it's clear the water is running down the membrane from higher up, I'll just have to bodge it as best as possible till tje spring and strip the whole roof.

I suspect IF the water is comming from higher, it's a combination of, possibly, the flashing not comming down low enough allowing creep behind, or that downpipe dumping too much water onto the roof, or, as mentioned, the joints between the slates being all over the place and the overlap not being sufficient for the pitch of the roof.

(Again I'll take some photos tomorrow)

A point to note -

There was none of that, umm, angle plastic stuff fitted by the builder that is supposed to go under the lowest batton and overhang / lead into the gutter.

Directly after the job there were issues and chap came back and said the issue was wicking up from the drip line and that fitting some of that stuff would solve it. But, of course, it couldn't go up under the lowest batton properly so, I think, it was just trimmed and shoved into position.

This seemed to work at the time. So maybe it's somthing to do with that now?

If I took the lower course of slate up and there was no evidence of water running from above, at least I could do that bit properly, maybe extend the last course out slightly and, I guess, that may solve it?

But my main question at the moment is, if I take off the lower course of slates with a ripper, how do I get them back in again?



It's just one of those irritating situations. There were other irritating needless shortcuts on the same job that have just made life hard also. And now it's 2am and I've been wobbling about on a stepladder in the dark, and won't be able to sleep through thinking about it either!

[chet]

Did you contact the installer about this problem?  Did you get in touch with your local building inspector? Did you sign a contract for this install, and was the installer licenced?  

[Tom King]

Sadly, I doubt the installer will be able to fix it.  If they didn't know how to do it correctly to start with, I doubt they will be able to figure out the problem.

[Don P]

Slate is outside of my wheelhouse, my Dad's generation. I don't see your location, the guys redoing the slate roofs at the VA in Salem VA seem to know what they are doing. 

[bluthum]

You say the pitch is relatively shallow, what is the pitch?

[Tom King]

Pictures would help.  I have a decent understanding of roofs, but not decent smarts for visualizing word pictures.

[dougtrr2]

You make it sound like you are going to have to fix this rather than the contractor, that sucks.   You might try to narrow the area of potential leak before you start tearing things off. When it starts raining, how quickly to you notice the leak?  Get a hose up on the roof, start low, let it run a while and work your way up.  The time it takes for the leak to appear when it rains is the minimum time you need to leave the hose in one place.  Could be a waste of time, but if it worked you would have a better idea of where to concentrate on.

Good luck,

Doug in SW IA

[wildtmpckjzg]

I hate this roof.

(I'll take some photos in the morning)

It was replaced about 4 years ago. Paid job, as I knew very little about rooves at the time.

I'm not convinced the person who did it did either though.

Basically it leaks.

Right down, just inside the glass.

(It's a slate roof on a single story extension with full height windows)

So, water is either getting in much higher up, possibly as the slates are all miss aligned and there's creep around their edges on the relatively shallow pitch, or its somehow wicking back at the gutter line.

There is membrane under the slate so either would probably dump the water in the same place. I seem to remember the chap putting a batton across the top of the beam (oak beam between window frames and roof) with the membrane under it, and I commented at the time that wouldn't any water on the membrane just be dammed on top of the beam by the lowest batton... but was assured otherwise. And I knew no better.

(I know the membrane is only really supposed to be for insects etc anyway)

Anyway, I reckon what I need to do is strip the bottom course of slates and work out what's going on. I don't know if I'll be able to change anything, but it's got to be the first action, right?

So, I'm thinking buy a ripper and have at it. If it's a wicking issue maybe I can fashion some lead or somthing to work. Of course the membrane was cut short of the gutter anyway...


If the situation is somehow rectifiable, what's the best way to re attach the lower course? Those wire tang things? A bunch of lead is just going to look horrible.

Can I glue them in with some fancy new adhesive?

I guess if I take off the lower course and it's clear the water is running down the membrane from higher up, I'll just have to bodge it as best as possible till tje spring and strip the whole roof.

I suspect IF the water is comming from higher, it's a combination of, possibly, the flashing not comming down low enough allowing creep behind, or that downpipe dumping too much water onto the roof, or, as mentioned, the joints between the slates being all over the place and the overlap not being sufficient for the pitch of the roof.

(Again I'll take some photos tomorrow)

A point to note -

There was none of that, umm, angle plastic stuff fitted by the builder that is supposed to go under the lowest batton and overhang / lead into the gutter.

Directly after the job there were issues and chap came back and said the issue was wicking up from the drip line and that fitting some of that stuff would solve it. But, of course, it couldn't go up under the lowest batton properly so, I think, it was just trimmed and shoved into position.

This seemed to work at the time. So maybe it's somthing to do with that now?

If I took the lower course of slate up and there was no evidence of water running from above, at least I could do that bit properly, maybe extend the last course out slightly and, I guess, that may solve it?

But my main question at the moment is, if I take off the lower course of slates with a ripper, how do I get them back in again?



It's just one of those irritating situations view. There were other irritating needless shortcuts on the same job that have just made life hard also. And now it's 2am and I've been wobbling about on a stepladder in the dark, and won't be able to sleep through thinking about it either!

It sounds like you have a good plan to start with by removing the bottom course of slates to investigate the source of the leak. If it turns out to be a wicking issue, you could consider using a water-resistant sealant to fix it. However, keep in mind that any temporary fix may not last forever and you may eventually need to strip the entire roof. As for re-attaching the lower course of slates, there are a few options. You mentioned wire tangs, which are one possibility. Another option is using copper or stainless steel nails, which are commonly used for slate roofs. You could also consider using adhesive or sealant, but be sure to use a product specifically designed for slate roofing and follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. It's important to ensure that the slates are properly overlapped and aligned to prevent future leaks. If you do need to strip the entire roof eventually, it may be worth hiring a professional with experience in slate roofing to ensure it is done correctly.

[Tom King]

Don't make slate hooks to hold replacement slates out of copper sheet metal.  I fixed one old roof that someone used that on, and they had all folded back out straight, probably from ice, and the slates slid back out.

Use proper slate hooks that are proven to last.

https://www.stortz.com/7-tools-needed-for-slate-roof-repair/

https://www.stortz.com/product-category/roofing-tools/slate-roofing/slate-hooks/