| Author | Message | ||
     jennifer swenson New member Username: Elphette Post Number: 5 Registered: 04-2007 |
It looks like at least some of the original copper gutters have been replaced with a different metal, I think steel. We haven't had a roof inspection yet, so I can't get up close to the gutters causing the stain to know if they too have been replaced. However, the stain is definitely black in color. There are rust stains on some of the other slates in different areas where some bad repair jobs were done, and they look totally different. Very reddish, typical rust stains. I'll definitely check out this website. Thanks for all your help! | ||
| Joe Jenkins Senior Member Username: Joe Post Number: 115 Registered: 07-2006 |
Here are two photos of a slate roof that was 120 years old when I photographed it. Note that the copper hasn't stained anything. If there are stains emanating from copper, it's usually because there is an iron or steel fastener involved. Copper will "eat" the iron or steel and make it rust rapidly. Also, sometimes roof mastic (tar) will cause staining to emanate from copper. The streaks you see are probably iron fasteners someone stuck in there. But I have never seen copper itself stain a roof. Anybody have photos of copper staining?   | ||
| Slate Affair Inc. Senior Member Username: Slate_man Post Number: 84 Registered: 01-2007 |
I fold this at www.naturalhandyman.com . It had alot of thing on staining. They say copper is green or blue-green staining. Manganese (used chiefly as an alloying agent in strengthing steel.(RHWCDictionary)) is brownish / blackish. I would think this will vary from city to city and also in the slate. All of this will contribute to the staining. From zooming in on the picture, the upper gutter look different from the others. So maybe that gutter was put up after the others? Is that gutter green looking? You may be able to use some from that site. | ||
| Joe Jenkins Senior Member Username: Joe Post Number: 111 Registered: 07-2006 |
The copper shouldn't be black. It should be dark brown, but it would not leach a stain onto the roof. Are you sure it's copper and not painted galvanized? | ||
| jennifer swenson New member Username: Elphette Post Number: 4 Registered: 04-2007 |
The stain looks pretty much all black. I can't really see where there is any rust colored marks in that area. We plan on having someone come out and do an inspection just of the roof, but haven't been able to schedule that yet, so I've not been able to get up that close to the gutters. Could it be from whatever makes the copper black (I'm assuming that is some sort of patina...) | ||
| Slate Affair Inc. Senior Member Username: Slate_man Post Number: 81 Registered: 01-2007 |
Is the stain rusty looking at all? | ||
| Joe Jenkins Senior Member Username: Joe Post Number: 108 Registered: 07-2006 |
Have you looked inside the gutter to see if there is anything inside it that may be rusting? I have never seen copper stain a roof like that. | ||
| jennifer swenson New member Username: Elphette Post Number: 3 Registered: 04-2007 |
Thanks for your help! I appreciate it! | ||
| Slate Affair Inc. Senior Member Username: Slate_man Post Number: 75 Registered: 01-2007 |
Hello Jennifer, I would fix the slate, then exstend the down pipe into the gutter and down farther onto the copper eyebrow dormer. This should take care of the staining. Stain can happen with copper or steel. If it is black like you said, then I would say the gutter are copper. | ||
| jennifer swenson New member Username: Elphette Post Number: 2 Registered: 04-2007 |
We've been told the gutters are copper. Would that produce the same effect? I'm attaching a picture to make it more clear.  | ||
| Joe Jenkins Senior Member Username: Joe Post Number: 105 Registered: 07-2006 |
If it's rust stains from iron or steel spouting, you'll probably have to replace the slates that are stained. Hopefully, you'll have matching slates. Otherwise, cannibalize slates from a less visible part of the roof. | ||
| jennifer swenson New member Username: Elphette Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2007 |
I am looking at buying a home that has a slate roof. The house is a two story with dormers. It appears that on either side of the front dormer there are downspouts that simply empty onto the roof and so the water runs down the roof on both sides of the dormer. Where the water path is from the exit of these copper downspouts, the slate is stained black. I'm assuming this is from water reacting with the metal of the downspouts...is this something that can be cleaned? Or do those slates need to be replaced if we want to fix the problem? It really detracts from the beauty of the roof. Thanks |
