Allegheny County
Slate roofs in Eastern Inner Suburbs
These boroughs sit right next to the city, and many homes were built in the same era with the same slate. The rules, though, are local.
Neighborhoods
- Wilkinsburg
- Edgewood
- Swissvale
- Forest Hills
The homes and roofs here
Expect early 1900s homes, many with slate main roofs and newer shingles on porches or additions. Edgewood and Forest Hills have many larger single homes.
Common slate problems in Eastern Inner Suburbs
- Slate main roofs tied into shingle porch roofs, where leaks often start.
- Worn chimney flashing and crumbling mortar.
- Old repairs done with roofing tar that has cracked.
- Gutters pulling away and dumping water on lower slate.
Permits and historic rules
This community has its own local government. City of Pittsburgh historic rules do not apply here. Permits and any local historic rules are handled by the borough or township office, so the contractor checks locally before work starts.
Use the Historic Roof CheckerRepairs often needed here
Questions from Eastern Inner Suburbs homeowners
- Do City of Pittsburgh historic rules apply here?
- No. These are separate boroughs. Any permit or local rule comes from your borough office.
- My porch roof leaks where it meets the slate. What's wrong?
- That joint needs proper flashing between the two materials. Tar patches there usually fail. A proper metal flashing fix lasts much longer.