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Overall, moss and lichen will NOT adversely affect the integrity of your slate roof but there is one caveat to that answer.

Moss growth primarily occurs on the southern slope of your roof but can certainly grow on other slopes, just not usually to the same degree as the southern slope. We do not believe moss has any negative effects on the integrity of your slate tiles but on a low slope it can impede the water flow which can lead to leaking.

A leaking roof can be fixed or avoided by professional moss removal. If leaking has already occurred, offending slate tiles need to be removed, cleaned/scraped, and reinstalled after proper preparation including new sarking under the battens. Moss removal can be accomplished through scraping, pressure cleaning, and/or chemicals but keep in mind that all methods are temporary since regrowth will eventually occur.

Provided your roof has steep enough pitches to prevent these natural growths from impeding water flow, removal is simply a matter of personal choice. Many people prefer the moss and lichen as “character building” qualities that money can’t buy and only time can add. Architects will often even specify mossy reclaimed slates, especially with an extension to match the existing slate roof and home.

You obviously want the answer for your roof to be no but we have seen many cases recently where the answer is yes. The determining factor, not surprisingly, is the quality of the slate.

Melbourne has experienced some very intense and damaging hail storms in recent years. Quite a large number of older and softer slate tiles did not fare well in these storms. Damage ranged from only a few perforated or snapped tiles to a need for complete replacement of the entire roof, and everything in between.

There were some instances we inspected where the roofs were relatively new but poor quality tiles were used and the damage was considerable, requiring complete replacement of the roof. Overall though, roofs with concrete or terracotta seemed to sustain more damage than slate roofs did.

There is definitely good news for everyone choosing good quality slate for their roofing. ALL of the roofs we inspected that had good quality slate, both new and old roofs, were completely unfazed. They were undamaged, water tight, and worry free. You could easily say this makes a strong case for choosing good quality slate roofing installed by master slaters.

The best answer to this question is no. That answer should include other tradesmen like house painters, satellite dish installers, etc.

The problems with walking on slate roofs include both safety concerns and damage to the roofing material.

Safety Concerns

Steep pitched roofs are both difficult and dangerous to walk on. The risk of personal injury is significant. It ought to go without saying but we’ll mention anyway that a slate roofing professional is much cheaper than a hospital or funeral home.

Even lower pitched roofs at 28 degrees or less still pose significant hazards. Melbourne roofs are prone to moisture, moss, and other naturally occurring growths that are harmless to the roof but make the surface slippery. Slippery + slope + gravity = quick trip to the ground.

Roofing Damage Concerns

The quality and age of the slate roofing material is a major determining factor in how well the roofing holds up under human feet. Good quality slate holds up well under everything Melbourne weather can throw at it, but is doesn’t necessarily hold up to foot traffic. Lesser quality slate most definitely caves under pressure.

Without the knowledge a slate roofer has for being on the roof, any attempts to walk on the roof can and probably will result in snap, crackle, pop, perforation, or even dislodging of the slate tiles, along with other potential damage.

Here’s a great way to put this in proper perspective: In 10 minutes, an inexperienced person can do more damage to your slate roof than 100 years of nature could!