What Influences A Roof's Lifespan?

You likely are aware that your roof will not last forever. However, you still may not know how long your particular roof will last. While it is hard to know the exact lifespan of a roof, you can consider these factors to know if your roof will last a long or short amount of time.

Materials

Different roofing materials are rated for different lifespans, but this may cause you to wonder what that means exactly. When you see a roofing material that's rated for a specific amount of years, it means that you'll likely go that amount of time without needing to replace the material or perform a major repair. Sometimes the lifespan is based on the manufacturer's warranty as well.

You'll find that one of the materials with the shortest lifespan is an asphalt roll roof, which uses rolls of roofing material that overlap. It's frequently used on flat roofs where you can't see the roof from the ground, because it doesn't look that great. Asphalt shingles last around 15 to 40 years, and materials like tile and slate can last up to 100 years. 

Storms

The region where you live can make a big difference because storms can cut the lifespan of your roof. Being in an area that sees strong winds and hurricanes means that you can see a lot of damage that shortens the lifespan, and areas that see rain and snow can see damage from ice dams. It really depends on what type of weather you see in your area. However, an insurance policy can help pay for roof replacement or repair due to storms. 

Ventilation

Roofs have vents to help draw the warm and humid air out of your attic. If you don't have proper ventilation, that air can get stuck in the attic and affect the roof from underneath. Having a simple box vent may not be enough, and you'll need an active fan to pull the air out of the space. 

Maintenance

You need to also perform regular maintenance on your roof to keep it in good shape and perform repairs when they are needed. If you ignore maintenance tasks, such as not replacing missing shingles, you can end up causing more damage to the roof than if you fixed it right away.

Installation

A poor installation is going to lead to roofing material deteriorating faster, especially if water gets underneath it. Reach out to a roofing contractor to learn more.


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