Water is dripping from the kitchen ceiling into a pot left on the floor. At first she thought she had time. Her home was built in 1995 and she thought the original roof would last at least another 10 years or so. But apparently that is not to be the case and her home is now in a state of crisis.
Water flowing from the ceiling of homes across the nation is a condition no family wants to encounter. Yet, every day in this country roofs are failing prematurely and leaking water down on unsuspecting families. Homeowners generally believe their homes’ roofs will last about a decade following completion of their new homes. The reality of how long a roof actually lasts is far more complex, for there are more variables that go into the life of a roof than simple years of age.
Material matters more than age
While the typical residential roof is constructed from asphalt shingles, the quality of the individual shingles is a critical component to the life expectancy of your roof. Three-tab shingles are typically the least expensive style of roof and are rated to have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. These shingles are generally thinner and contain less materials than their architectural counterparts. Architectural shingles are generally thicker and made of a higher quality material and are rated to have a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. While they may cost more initially, architectural shingles are generally considered to be the better option due to their longer life and ability to withstand severe weather.
Roofs are made of all sorts of materials, including asphalt shingles, metal, and even tile. The lifespan of a roof is very different depending on the type of material. For example, typical asphalt shingle roofs can last anywhere from 15 to 40 years or more. Metal roofs typically last 40 years or more but vary depending on the type of metal. Some metal roofs, made of steel for example, will require a lot more maintenance than others, such as aluminum roofs. As for tile roofs, made of clay, concrete, or slate, they can last up to 100 years or more.
Slate roofs have the longest lifespan of any roofing material and can last for over a hundred years. Of course, for a roof to last this long it must have been properly installed. Some contractors specialize in the installation of slate roofs. These contractors are typically very experienced and have been in the business for a long time. It is also worth noting that slate roofing can be quite expensive.
Quality variations within materials
In addition to the average life expectancy of different roofing materials, there are also great variations in quality of the same type of roofing material. A high-end asphalt shingle, for example, will have a better adhesion of the granules to the backing of the shingle and will have a better ability to withstand the elements than a lower quality asphalt shingle. A high-end asphalt shingle is designed to last longer than a lower quality shingle and in fact, can begin to fail in as little as 10 years. Although you may think that you are saving money in the short term by using a lower quality material, the extra cost in the long run to have to replace it can put a big strain on your finances.
Climate shapes everything
Roofs from houses in coastal locations are especially affected by the salt in the air, which can cause corrosion to metal parts on the roof and cause deterioration of many organic materials on the roof. In locations with a lot of wind-driven rain, the water can penetrate into the small gaps in the roof that would normally go unnoticed for years and cause the roof to deteriorate quickly. In cold locations with frequent instances of freezing and thawing, the roof will be subjected to great pressure. In hot locations, such as in a desert, the roof will be subjected to great thermal stress. The roof may expand and contract in hot temperatures, causing the materials to fatigue.
It’s worth noting that roofing materials can vary greatly in their ability to handle extreme weather conditions. Roofing materials in very cold climates must be able to withstand the stress that occurs with repeated freeze/thaw cycles, whereas roofs in extremely hot climates can be damaged by constant exposure to heat. For example, the constant heat can cause shingles to become brittle and to crack over time.
Hail does not have to be large to cause significant damage to asphalt roofing materials. The impact from hail can cause the granules from the surface of the shingles to be pulled loose, thus reducing the ability of the roof to protect from weather. In addition, even small amounts of hail can reduce the life of a roof by a number of years.
Trees surrounding your home can have both a good and bad effect on your roof. The bad effect is that trees have on your home is overhanging branches. These types of branches can cause serious damage to your roof during strong winds. These types of branches can act as a scraper to your roof causing punctures and holes in the roof of your home. In addition, falling leaves from trees in your yard can clog your gutters and downspouts. This causes water to seep into your attic through the roof of your home. Seepage of water in your attic through the roof of your home creates ideal conditions for moss and algae to begin growing on the roof of your home. The good effect that trees have on your home are for shade. Trees surrounding your home can provide great shade. This type of shade will extend the life of your shingles on your roof. Your shingles on your roof go through thermal stress in your home. Thermal stress are changes in your home’s temperature. This type of stress is put on the material of your home. In the case of your roof, the material of your roof are the shingles on your home. These types of changes in your home’s temperature cause your shingles on your home to contract and then expand. This constant contraction and expansion of your shingles causes wear and tear on your home’s roofing material. The thermal stress on your home’s roofing material can cause the shingles on your home’s roof to crack and break. The cracking and breaking of the shingles on
Warning signs appear before catastrophic failure
A roof inspection by a professional can help you to identify any problems with your roof and provide you with recommendations for any repairs that are needed to extend the life of your roof. During the roof inspection, the contractor will look for signs of granule loss, deterioration of the seals around items such as chimneys, skylights, vents and other penetration points. He or she will also look for signs of wear of the flashing around roof projections.
Missing or damaged shingles are a clear indicator that a roof will need to be replaced. But in the time leading up to that there are many other signs of decline that can be more or less obvious. For example, a sign of a roof’s shingles may begin to curl up. As time goes on, nails that once held the shingles in place may begin to work their way out of the roof, exposing the roof to the elements. Seals around penetrations to the roof, such as vents and where chimneys meet the roof, may begin to crack and allow water to penetrate into the roof. Sometimes, water that has penetrated into the roof can make its way down into walls and cause water stains to appear on ceilings and walls. In extreme cases, water that has penetrated into a roof can seep into the attic of a home and cause musty odors to appear.
A bad roof can even make your energy bills go up. A leaky roof can cause the air that has been heated or cooled in a home to leak out. Then outside air will leak into the home thus increasing the amount of heating and cooling that is required to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. This can be very costly and really be a waste of money.
A homeowner from the East Coast would look for Virginia Beach roof replacement services if they lived in the area and their roof was starting to get into trouble.
Timing the replacement decision
For the replacement of a roof that is to be done in conjunction with other renovation of a home it would probably be best to include the replacement of the roof with the rest of the renovation. This will save on traveling and in additional cost to complete the other work of the home. For the homeowner who is planning to sell a home with a roof that is nearing the end of its life it is wise to take steps to replace the roof of the home prior to putting the home on the market. By replacing the roof of the home before it fails the homeowner can avoid negatively affecting the list price of the home, as well as help to ensure that the roof of the home does not become a point of negotiation by potential buyers of the home after which they would complete the replacement of the roof of the home. Replacing the roof before it fails will save the homeowner money in the long run.
Extending what you have
In addition to extending the life of the roof by maintaining it in good condition through regular inspection by a roofer, regardless of the type of roof that you have, by making sure that your gutters and downspouts are clean and free flowing to allow water to flow properly down to the ground to prevent ice dams to form and to allow water to flow properly down to the ground to prevent back up of water into your roofing systems to allow you to extend the life of the roofing systems.
Improving the ventilation of your roof’s attic can extend the life of your roof. While many people do not realize the large role that ventilation plays in keeping moisture out of a roof, they can cause premature aging of a roof. By improving the ventilation in a roof’s attic, a homeowner can extend the life of the roof by several years.
The roof of your home can be very expensive to fix if not properly maintained. The flashing on your roof must be installed correctly around items such as your chimney, vents, and your roof valleys. If not, water can leak into your home causing damage to even the best of roofs.
Knowing the factors that affect the lifespan of your roof will enable you to make informed decisions as to the replacement of your roof as well as the types of roofing materials to choose to get the longest life and best quality for your money.
