Why Do Slate Roofs Have Spikes

Worried that she would end up with a shoddy job she delved in and did her own research.

Why do slate roofs have spikes.

If the ice comes down in one solid sheet it is heavy and can damage property and hurt people. Even green asphalt shingles have to be. Metal roofing can t be stood on. It is less destructive if it gets broken up on the way down.

They are designed to hold snow on the roof so that it won t avalanche off the roof possibly damaging decks shrubbery other property or even causing personal injury. A roof s support doesn t come from the roofing material it comes from the framing and finishing beneath the surface. Slate roofs can withstand high winds heavy snow and rain. The idea is that they hold the snow up allowing it to gradually melt off your roof or fall in small harmless chunks.

The spikes break up the snow ice sheet as it falls past them. Archeological excavations at jamestown virginia have unearthed roofing slate in strata dating from 1625 1650 and 1640 1670. The strengths as mentioned above of slate roofs are the bane of many non slate roofs. Seventeenth century building ordinances of new york and boston recommended the use of slate or tile roofs to ensure fireproof construction.

Asphalt roofing weighs double what the standard metal roof does. Those little spikes are there to break up sheets of ice and snow that will be falling off the roof this season. Along with being susceptible to many issues non slate roofs are much less environmentally friendly. Fiber cement shakes slate and concrete tile tip the scales at three times the weight of metal roofs.