How Long Does A Roof Last On A House (And Why)?

Exact Answer: Up to 25 years

A roof can last for around 10 to 25 years, depending on the type of roofing materials. The environmental factors and climatic conditions play a huge role in determining the shelf life of a roof. Therefore, everyone should do a proper inspection of the roof before purchasing a new house.

The age of the roof is a big condition that would affect the shelf life of the roof. The metal standing seam roofing can last for around 50 years without any issues. The asphalt shingle roofs would last for more than around 25 years if maintained properly.

The amount of rainfall would affect the shelf life of the roof. The places with excess humidity may see the roof going bad very early.

How Long Does A Roof Last On A House?

The roof can last longer if they are prevented from excess water exposure. The heavy rainfall on a daily basis may not allow the roof to last for more than 5 to 10 years. There are many roofing materials that would be waterproof. The newly made houses would stay for around 15 to 25 years.

The houses which are quite old may ask for maintenance in regular intervals. The quality of material used in roof making makes a huge role in determining how long the roof would last. Overhanding trees can reduce the shelf life of the roof of a house. Roof hail damage can reduce the shelf life of the roof.

The location and style of the property would impact the lasting time of the roof. Natural disasters such as tornados and hurricanes can damage the roof. The installation of the roof plays a huge role in predicting its lasting time.

If the roof is installed properly by an expert, then it would not get damaged before 20 to 30 years. The newly braced and ventilated roofs would not get excessively affected by minor storms.

The roofs that are quite old may get extremely damaged due to minor storms and the person should replace the roof after such situations. The condition of the roofs would start changing or showing signs of damage after a few years if they are not in good condition.

Why Does A Roof Last On A House For This Long?

The roof would not last for more than 25 to 30 years if the person would not maintain the roof. The roofs that are extremely top quality may be quite more expensive than the normal ones. Therefore everyone should invest a little more for making their roofs last long.

The layering of the roof would also make a huge impact on the lasting time of the roof. If the roof is layered as per requirement, then it would not get weak before 20 to 25 years. Overlaying the roof is not recommended as the heat can get trapped between the layers of the roof, which would reduce the shelf life of roofs.

If the roof has more than 2 to 3 layers, then it would not have a shelf life of more than 15 to 20 years. Some materials used for making roofs may not allow more than 2 layers. Everyone should check with the manufacturer of the roofing material to know how much layer is safe, and possible with the roofing material.

If someone sees a minor defect in the roof, then the person can repair it at the earliest to avoid the huge expense of roof replacement. Fixing the defects in the roof with DIY would not last for a long time. Therefore, if the roof has many defects, then the person should try to replace it, to not compromise the safety of the house.

Conclusion

The shelf life of the roof on a house would be around 20 to 25 years, depending on various conditions. The climatic conditions, environmental factors, location of the property, and maintenance would decide the lasting time of the roof. The roof installation and layering should be done perfectly to avoid any repercussions.

There are many types of materials available in the market for making roofs, but people should go for the most suitable one for their location and weather conditions.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378778897000297
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378778813007652