One of the most expensive obligations of homeownership is replacing your roof as it reaches the end of its useful life. However, there are a few things to think about before deciding to replace your roof—and you should always speak with a professional before making any decisions. You can choose a contractor who offers financing themselves if you don’t have enough cash on hand to pay for the roof in full, roof replacement financing, or any available home equity to spend on replacing your roof.
How often does a roof need to be replaced?
A roof shouldn’t need to be changed frequently. If you worked with a dependable roofing contractor, you shouldn’t need to repair your roof until it is almost completely worn out. Your roof will last as long as it possibly can if it was done correctly, your attic is well aired, and you maintain it. You could not need a replacement roof for 20 years or even 50 years, depending on the kind of roofing material you have (or more). In other circumstances, such as those involving storm damage or an early roof failure, you’ll need one sooner. However, for the majority of homeowners, a roof needs to be replaced when it is almost completely worn out.
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles come in three varieties: 3-tab, architectural, and luxury. The lifespans for each of the three have been provided by the asphalt shingle producer. The shortest-lasting of the three varieties of shingles, 3-tab shingles with a life expectancy of 25 years. Realistically, you should be able to use the asphalt shingles for 80 to 85 percent of their lifespan. This indicates that you may anticipate your 3-tab shingle roof lasting 20–25 years and your architectural shingle roof lasting 25–30 years. Luxury shingles, on the other hand, are thicker and should last up to 30 years. In ideal circumstances, you can extend that even longer.
Composite Roof
Synthetic or composite shingles are created from recyclable materials to replicate the appearance of slate or cedar shake roofs. A composite roof should last for 40 to 50 years. Additionally, unlike with typical slate or cedar shakes, you may walk on composite roofs without fear of shattering them.
Cedar Shake
A cedar shake roof is predominantly constructed of natural wood elements, as opposed to asphalt, metal, and synthetic materials. If your cedar shake roof is erected and cared for correctly, you may expect it to last for 30 years. If you choose high-quality materials and reside in a place with the correct environment, you may be able to extend that period further and live up to 50 years. That just leaves you with your roofing contractor’s workmanship warranty to cover your investment in the event that your cedar shake roof ever develops a problem.
Slate Roof
Similar to a cedar shake roof, a slate roof is mostly constructed of organic elements. Your slate roof will be the last one you ever install on your house, provided it is fitted and flashed properly. The lifespan of a slate roof is difficult to estimate, but there is no reason why it shouldn’t be close to or around 75 years.
