Jordan, Minnesota
Reliable Slate Roofing in Jordan, MN
If there is original slate anywhere in Scott County, it is down on the valley floor in Jordan, on the 1800s core that went up before anyone framed a soffit vent. Up on the bluff, east of town near 920 feet, the subdivisions are new and slate there is a fresh choice. Two different conversations, and the first one usually starts with whether the original roof can be saved.
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Old nails fail before old slate does
Slate rarely wears out. What fails is everything holding it up. On the 1865 to 1880 buildings in the district, and on the houses of the same age around them, we usually find sound stone hanging on rusted nails, flashing that was tarred over twice, and a deck that has been damp for years because the attic never had a way to breathe. These buildings went up before soffit venting, so warm interior air condenses under a cold slate roof and rots the boards the nails hold. Putting new stone over that gets you the same roof again. Where the slate itself is sound we renail, replace the broken pieces from salvage, rebuild the flashing into the buff brick, and leave the roof alone. If you are not sure which case you have, a certified roof assessment is the place to start before anyone quotes a tear off.
Slate Roofing in Jordan
What slate work looks like in the old core
The original roof gets a chance
Before we talk about replacement we count how many pieces are actually broken. On a lot of these roofs it is a few dozen, and the rest of the field has decades left in it.
Salvage matched to what is there
Old slate came off quarries that no longer ship the same stone. We match thickness, size and color from salvage so a repair does not read as a patch from the sidewalk.
Venting worked out under the stone
Houses in the old core were built without soffit vents. We look for a way to move air under the deck, whether that is a vented ridge or added intake, before new slate goes on.
Flashing cut into the buff brick
Local buff brick and lime mortar are soft. Counterflashing gets cut into a mortar joint and repointed, not surface mounted with sealant that pulls the face off the brick two winters later.
Review questions answered before ordering
The district was listed on the National Register in 1980 and covers fourteen contributing buildings. We help you find out whether a local approval, grant or credit program actually governs your roof.
Copper nails instead of steel
Nail failure is what ends most old slate roofs. New work goes up on copper or stainless fasteners, so the roof outlives the fastening instead of the other way around.
Why owners of old Jordan buildings call
Family run and faith based
We are a family business, and we treat a building that has stood 150 years the way we would want ours treated: repaired where it can be, replaced where it must be.
We will take the small job
Fourteen slates and a chimney flashing rebuild is work we will show up for. Not every call needs to end in a tear off, and we would rather do the small piece well.
The attic gets looked at
Half of what looks like a roof leak in the old core is condensation. We go inside with a light before we write anything, because the fix is a different one.
Occupied buildings stay usable
Downtown buildings have people in them. We stage off the sidewalk, keep the entrance clear, and drop debris into a chute rather than onto the street.
Written so you can compare
Our estimates name the fastener, the flashing metal and the headlap. That way another bid can be read next to ours instead of two figures with nothing behind them.
What people near Jordan say
The crew arrived early and spread tarps all around the house to capture every bit of debris. By 3:00 PM, my entire roof was completely finished.
Hazel JamesRoof replacement, Minneapolis, MN Orange Exteriors fixed a minor leak that involved replacing flashing and a few shingles blown off our roof. Timely, quality work. Great ideas to keep our roof going long term.
Jim ThomasStorm damage repair From sales to construction crew to upper management, they helped make an insurance battle a breeze. This is the best contractor interaction I have ever had.
Jim NormanRoof replacement
Questions from the Jordan historic core
What people in Jordan ask us about this work. If yours is not covered, call and ask.
How do I know if the slate on my Jordan house is original?
Look at the fastening and the deck. Original work sits on spaced board or plank, hung on cut or wire nails that are now rusted thin, and the pieces vary slightly in thickness. Later replacement roofs tend to be uniform, machine cut and nailed into plywood. We can usually tell from the attic side in a few minutes.
Does the Jordan Historic District control what goes on my roof?
Listing on the National Register, which the district received in 1980, is largely recognition and does not by itself dictate a private owner's material. What can dictate it is a local approval, a grant, or a tax credit program tied to the work. Fourteen contributing buildings are involved, so the answer depends on your address. Ask before you order.
My attic has no soffit vents. Can I still put slate back on?
Yes, but fix the air first. A cold slate roof over a warm unvented attic sweats on the underside of the deck, and the boards and nails go long before the stone does. Sometimes the answer is a vented ridge with added intake, sometimes it is sealing the ceiling plane. Doing that first is the difference between a roof that lasts and one you redo.
Have the old roof looked at first
If your building sits in the old core, get someone up there before you decide anything. We will tell you what is broken, what is fine, and what the honest options are.
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Tell us what is going on with your roof, siding, windows, or gutters. We will take a look and give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that you can wait.
- Phone(612) 600-8529
- Emailadmin@orange-exteriors.com
- Office6600 City West Pkwy Suite 375, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
- HoursOpen 24 hours, Sunday to Saturday
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