You are about to pay for a new roof. You ask yourself (and hopefully your licensed roofing company) a very important question — What can you expect in terms of your roof’s life span? The fact is it depends a lot on the roof itself. For example, if you bought a high-end roof with a great warranty, you are likely going to get a very long life out of your roof. The good news is, however that roof life expectancy has more than doubled in the last couple of years for all types of roofs (yes, even shingle roofs).
The quality products that are available today are vastly different from what was available back in the 1980’s. Just about any type of roof today can come with a 40 to 50-year lifetime warranty that is transferable to other owners. This is especially beneficial to those who live in areas like Florida where roofs take a heavy daily beating with high winds, heavy rains and extreme heat. When you are looking at roof life expectancy, it is important to consider the products that you are using and the type of warranty that you purchase, along with several other key factors.
4 Factors That Affect Roof Life Span:
- Shingles
- Underlayment
- Installation
- Ventilation
As mentioned at the beginning, the quality of shingles has dramatically increased over the decades. The rule of thumb used to be, the more expensive the shingle, the longer the roof life. Today however, even asphalt shingles can outlive their pricier counterparts like tile and metal. The warranty coverage and longevity for roofs is also better nowadays. For example, a shingle roof would now have the same, if not a better, warranty of up to 50 years with some of the GAF products that are now available on the market. In the past that type of warranty was only available for roofs built with more expensive roofing materials like tile and metal.
Not all underlayment is created equal. This water-resistant (or waterproof) material installed over your roof deck gives an added layer of protection against the elements such as rain and wind. An investment in a premium quality synthetic underlayment can help add years to the life of your roof. The cost to upgrade to synthetic underlayment is small and can add up to 50 years to your roof’s life expectancy.
Was your roof installed by a licensed roofing company? There are often specific installation requirements and best practices for specific products or regions to achieve maximum shelf life. Correct installation is a key factor in determining the longevity of your roof. It is always better to hire a reputable, licensed professional roofing company like Stratus Roofing to ensure the roof is installed properly than risk issues down the road.
This roof component is unique to each home. Ventilation options such as power vents may need to be installed based on the architectural features of your roof, slope and size.
The safest and smartest way to extend your roof’s life span is to contact an experienced, licensed roofing company like Stratus Roofing. We are proud to be your trusted residential roofing and commercial roofing partner since 2004. We have offices in the Orlando, Florida area and Kansas City, Missouri to serve you. Find out how we can help you with your residential roofing and commercial roofing needs by contacting us today: www.stratusroofing.com
Posted in #roofchat, blog, residential roofing, commercial roofing
