How Long Should a Roof Last?

As a homeowner, when you think about a new roof for your house, you want to make sure you make the right choice!

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One that will not only enhance the property’s curb appeal but will give you your money’s worth and last a long time. Once you start your research to find out the best roof for your home, you will find that there are many more roofing options than you knew about and that each one of them seems to last a long time. But how much will each type of roof really last? Read on to find out.

What Determines How Long a Roof will Last?

A roof that is properly installed and with first-rate materials will last the longest. Although the weather in your area will also play a role as will the way and frequency in which you maintain it. These days, some roofing materials are so sturdy that you can actually expect them to last longer than the house itself. Let’s see which roofing materials last the longest.

Asphalt Shingles

As the most common type of roofing material sold and installed today, asphalt shingles are not only affordable but they come with a warranty of up to 25 years. They are a consumer favorite because they do provide a durable layer of protection from rain, wind, and UV rays, with a watertight seal. Despite the warranty, these shingles tend to last between 15 and 30 years.

Architectural Shingles

Although they work in the same way as asphalt shingles, architectural shingles are about three times as thick. This allows them to offer you a more resilient, denser roof. This roofing option is quite a bit more expensive, coming in about 2 or 3 times more expensive than regular asphalt shingles but they look like even more expensive roofs such as those made of tiles, wood, or slate. Even though the manufacturer’s warranty covers about 30 years, the average lifespan of these shingles ranges between 25 and 30 years.

Cedar Wood Shingles

These attractive shingles improve the curb appeal of any house. Through the years they tend to turn a soft silvery gray and they are always rot- and insect resistant. Still, they do require annual maintenance, and shingles that look warped or split need to be replaced. If this upkeep is performed on an annual basis cedar shingle roofs will last up to the 30 years covered by their warranty.

Clay Tile Roofs

Even though consumers tend to prefer their traditional bold terracotta color, these shingles are available in a collection of earthy colors. They range in price from $600 to about $80 per square, but are durable and require almost no maintenance. In this case, even if the warranty talks about 30 years, clay tiles can last 50 years or longer.

Metal Roofs

Metal roofs offer a wide variety of price and quality options. You can select an affordable standing-seam aluminum or steel roof for about $115 per square or splurge on stone-coated steel tiles and spend up to $900 per square. In general, the thicker the metal, the more durable it will be. Warranties go from 20 years to a lifetime and many do last 70 years or more.

Slate Tile Roofs

The fine grain appearance of slate tiles turns into a roof that can withstand any weather that is thrown at it. Ranging between $600 and $1,500 per square they come with a manufacturer’s warranty of up to 50 years but, in many cases, they can last up to a century or longer.

To learn more about the best roofing option for you visit the website here.