Allegheny County
Slate roofs in North Boroughs & North Hills
Bellevue, Avalon and West View are older boroughs full of slate homes. Ross, McCandless and Shaler are more mixed, with slate on older sections.
Neighborhoods
- Bellevue
- Avalon
- West View
- Ross Township
- McCandless
- Shaler
The homes and roofs here
The older boroughs have rows of early 1900s homes with slate, big porches and brick chimneys. Farther north, slate is more spread out among newer homes.
Common slate problems in North Boroughs & North Hills
- Worn porch roof flashing.
- Rusted valley metal on older slate roofs.
- Slipped slates from failed nails.
- Past tar patches that trap water.
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 North Boroughs & North Hills homeowners
- My valleys look rusty. What does that mean?
- Older valley metal can rust through, letting water in. Valleys can often be re-lined while keeping the slate around them.
- Is tar a good fix for slate?
- Not for long. Tar cracks and can trap water. A proper slate or metal repair holds up much better.