Stevens Roofing Corp.

10/14/2026

Cooler fall weather is a good time to check the roof over your head, before winter’s wind and rain arrive. Seasonal changes tend to expose small issues around flashing, gutters, roof penetrations, and loose materials.

An inspection can catch a small flashing gap or a cracked slate before water ever reaches the inside of your home. Our crew works on nearly every roofing system, and after three generations in the business, slate and copper are what we know best.

Learn more about roof inspections from Stevens Roofing Corp at stevensroofingcorp.com/roofing-services/roof-inspection.

10/13/2026

Slate roof repair is a different craft than repairing a shingle roof, and the wrong approach can cause more damage than the original problem. 🪨
Here's what sets slate work apart:

Walking on slate breaks slate. Experienced slate roofers use ladders, hooks, and roof brackets to avoid putting weight on the tiles.

The nails often fail first. On older roofs, steel nails can rust away while the slate itself is still in great shape. Slipped tiles are sometimes a fastener problem, not a stone problem.

Roof cement is a short-term patch. Tar smeared over cracked slate or flashing tends to trap moisture and makes proper repair harder later.

Matching matters. Slate varies in color, thickness, and size by quarry. A good repair uses salvaged or matching slate so the patch blends in and weathers the same way.

Knowing whether the issue is a tile, the flashing, or the nails changes the entire repair plan. Here's how to tell the difference on a Virginia slate roof: https://www.stevensroofingcorp.com/blog/slate-roof-repair-in-virginia-how-to-know-when-tiles-flashing-or-nails-are-the-problem/

Learn how to identify whether your slate roof issue is a tile, flashing, or nail problem. Stevens Roofing has served Virginia homeowners since 1946.

10/11/2026

Four historic roofing materials you'll still find on Virginia's older homes, and what makes each one worth preserving:

🪨 Slate: Quality slate can outlast the house it sits on, often 75 to 150 years. Virginia even has its own source: Buckingham slate, quarried in central Virginia and known for its durability. On many old slate roofs, the stone is still sound when the nails and flashing have worn out.

🟫 Ornamental Copper: Found on bay windows, cupolas, dormers, and porch roofs. That green patina is a protective layer that forms over years of exposure, and it develops faster near the coast. Flat seam and standing seam copper are two traditional methods, each suited to different roof slopes.

🧱 Clay Tile: Clay tile itself can last a century, but the underlayment beneath it usually gives out much sooner. That means an older tile roof can often be lifted, re-underlaid, and reset with the original tiles.

🌲 Wood Shake: Hand-split shakes have a rougher, more textured look than sawn shingles. On historic homes, matching that texture matters for keeping the home's original character.

The material on your roof says a lot about when and how your home was built. Knowing what you have is the first step to caring for it properly.

Providing excellence in roofing since 1946. 🏡

09/29/2026

Fall is here, and it's the perfect time to book your slate roof maintenance visit before winter settles in. Slate is one of the most durable roofing materials out there, sometimes lasting a century or more, but a little seasonal care goes a long way toward protecting that investment.

Our team at Stevens Roofing has been working with slate since 1946, and we know exactly what to look for: loose or slipped tiles, worn flashing, and small issues that are easy to fix now but costly to ignore later. A quick inspection this fall can save you a headache come spring.

If you're in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, or anywhere across Hampton Roads, now's the time to get on our schedule. Give us a call or send us a message to book your slate roof maintenance appointment today. Your roof has kept your family safe for years. Let's help it keep doing that for many more.

09/22/2026

Slate roofs are built to last a century or more, but only when they're cared for the right way. At Stevens Roofing, we don't treat slate maintenance as a quick fix. We treat it as protecting a piece of craftsmanship that's been part of a home's story for generations.

Since 1946, our family has worked on roofs across Norfolk and the surrounding communities, and slate holds a special place in that history. These roofs were built with materials and techniques that aren't common anymore, so caring for them requires real knowledge, not guesswork.

Our approach to residential roof maintenance starts with understanding the roof in front of us: its age, materials, and the small signs that indicate what it needs before a problem grows. A loose slate tile or worn flashing might look minor, but catching it early is what keeps a roof performing for decades, not years.

This is the same philosophy Karl Stevens brought to the business back in 1946, and it's the one we still carry today: take care of the roof, and it takes care of the family beneath it.
Have questions about your slate roof? We're happy to talk through what long-term care looks like for your home. 🏠

09/15/2026

Fall is nearly here, and soon those beautiful old trees will be dropping leaves faster than you can rake them! While that's a normal part of the season, it can spell trouble for slate roofs if valleys and gutters get clogged.

Here's why it matters: Slate roofs rely on clear valleys to properly channel water off the roof. When leaves and debris pile up, water can back up under the slate tiles instead of flowing where it should. That's often how small leaks start, and slate roof leak repairs tend to be much more involved (and costly) than catching the problem early.

A few things worth doing before the season gets deeper into fall:
🍂 Clear valleys and gutters of leaves, twigs, and debris
🍂 Check for any slate tiles that look cracked, slipped, or missing
🍂 Look for water stains on ceilings or attic spaces, an early sign of a leak
🍂 If your roof is older or hasn't been inspected recently, have a professional take a look

Since 1946, we've worked on slate roofs across Hampton Roads and know how to spot trouble before it becomes a bigger (and pricier) problem. If you're noticing signs of a leak or just want peace of mind heading into the wetter months, give us a call. We're happy to help keep your roof watertight all season long.

Norfolk: 575-231-9688
Richmond: 804-676-6111

09/08/2026

Storms don't always leave obvious clues. A missing shingle or a tree branch on the roof is easy to spot, but slate roofs can hide damage that shows up weeks or even months later.

Here's the tricky part: a single cracked or slipped slate tile can gradually let moisture in. There's no dramatic leak right away, just a slow drip that seeps into the decking and framing underneath. By the time you notice a stain on the ceiling, the damage has often been building for a while.

A few signs worth watching for after a strong storm:

⚡ Granules or small debris in your gutters after high winds
⚡ Slate tiles that look slightly out of place, even if none are missing
⚡ Soft spots or discoloration in the attic
⚡ Musty smells that weren't there before

Historic roofs deserve an extra careful eye, since older slate and flashing systems don't always show wear the same way modern materials do. Since 1946, we've worked on homes across Hampton Roads and know what to look for when it comes to historic roof leak repair, even when the damage isn't visible from the ground.

If a recent storm has you wondering about your roof's condition, we're happy to take a look and give you honest answers about what's going on up there.

08/30/2026

🏠 Got a slate roof? Here's what most homeowners don't realize: those tiles can outlast generations, but only with the right care along the way.

We put together a homeowner's guide covering what a slate roof maintenance plan actually includes, how often you really need a professional visit, and the questions worth asking before you sign up with anyone. We also cover how maintenance is different from a repair call, and why that especially matters for historic slate roofs.

Whether you're in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Richmond, or anywhere else across Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore, this one's worth a read before your next roof checkup.

👉https://www.stevensroofingcorp.com/blog/what-should-be-included-in-a-slate-roof-maintenance-plan-a-homeowners-guide/

Questions about your own slate roof? Contact Stevens Roofing today. We've been at this since 1946, and slate is one of our favorite things to talk about. 🔧

08/18/2026

🏠 What Our Maintenance Visits Catch Before They Become Repairs

Slate is one of the longest-lasting roofing materials, sometimes lasting a century or more. But that lifespan depends on catching small issues early. That's the idea behind professional roof maintenance: spotting trouble on a slate roof while it's still simple to fix. Here's what our team looks for every time we're up there:

✅ Cracked or slipped slates. A single loose tile can let water underneath and damage the layers below.
✅ Nail fatigue. Older fasteners weaken over time and are one of the most common reasons slates slip or fall.
✅ Worn flashing around chimneys and valleys. This is where slate roofs most often develop hidden leaks.
✅ Moss and lichen buildup. These trap moisture against the slate, accelerating deterioration.
✅ Deteriorating mortar or bedding at ridges and hips. Small gaps here can grow into bigger structural issues.
✅ Delamination. Slate that's starting to flake or split is often a sign it's nearing the end of its life.

None of these shows up as a repair on day one. But left alone, every single one turns into a bigger job and a bigger bill, especially with a material as specialized as slate.

We've been climbing roofs across Hampton Roads since 1946, and if there's one thing three generations of Stevens have learned, it's this: slate roofs that last the longest are the ones that get looked at before something goes wrong.

📞 Ready for a slate roof checkup? Give us a call or click the link, and let's keep it ahead of the problem. 🛠️

Stevens Roofing Corp. Providing excellence in roofing since 1946

https://www.stevensroofingcorp.com/contact-us/

08/11/2026

Norfolk's historic homes have character you just can't find in new construction. But that same character often comes with roofing challenges when storm season rolls around.

Older homes in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and across Hampton Roads were often built with materials and techniques that have since fallen out of use. Slate, wood shake, and standing seam metal each age differently, and decades of exposure can leave hidden weak points that don't show themselves until heavy wind and rain move through.

That's why historic roof leak repair often calls for a different approach than a standard fix. Getting the details right, matching materials, respecting original flashing methods, and understanding how these older systems were built in the first place make a real difference in how well a historic roof holds up.

If your home has weathered a storm and you're noticing signs of a leak, don't wait for it to become a bigger problem. Stevens Roofing has been caring for Norfolk's homes, historic and modern, since 1946. We know these roofs because we've been working on them for three generations.

📞 Give us a call to schedule an inspection before the next storm rolls in.