Hi there, and welcome to the Solid State Construction blog. We’re glad to see you. In today’s post, we’re here to help you determine how often to replace a roof.
Truth be told, the vast majority of Central MA or Boston area homeowners only get a new roof once in their lives, so it’s not likely to be a regular occurrence.
First, let’s look at the well-known ‘industry average’ lifespans for basic roofing materials.
- Composition Shingles 12-20 Years
- Asphalt Shingles 15-30 Years
- Wood Shingles 20-25 Years
- Rubber Roofs 30-50 Years
- Metal Roofs 50-75 Years
And to be thorough, here’s a nifty chart with a wide range of materials for your reference from the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors:
Because the writing in that image might be a bit too small, here’s the 30-second rundown they give to homeowners on the subject:
“The life of a roof depends on local weather conditions, building and design, material quality, and adequate maintenance. Hot climates drastically reduce asphalt shingle life. Roofs in areas that experience severe weather, such as hail, tornadoes and/or hurricanes, may also experience a shorter-than-normal lifespan overall or may incur isolated damage that requires repair in order to ensure the service life of the surrounding roofing materials.”
Assuming your home is well-built and not getting ready to slip down a hill, let’s take a few minutes now and look at these different variables. You could almost use this as a checklist to help you determine how often to replace a roof.
We begin with the most important of all: time.
Age
How old is your roof, and do you really know? If not, perhaps today would be a good day to schedule a Free In-Home (Or Virtual) Consultation with us — we’re your local asphalt, metal, and rubber roofing experts.
Because there are still plenty of homeowners in and around the Boston area with roofing that goes back to the 2000s, or even the 1990s. If your roof is nearing or past its 25th birthday, it’s likely nearing the end of its ideal service lifespan. Maintenance requirements will go up, and performance will begin to wither.
Materials
What kind of roof do you have up there? Asphalt shingles? If so, what kind – cheap 3-tap, architectural, dimensional, luxury? If not asphalt, how about clay tiles? Concrete? Wood? Metal?
Each material comes with its own set of pros and cons, and they all age differently. They also respond to time and weather differently. When in doubt, simply schedule a free roofing inspection. One of our specialists will be happy to tell you exactly what’s going on up there, what shape it’s in, what the system is made of (if there is a ‘system’ at all), and what your next steps should be.
Manufacturer
Is your roof something unique and custom, installed by a small team? Was it put together by what we like to call a “Chuck and his truck” outfit? Or, is it from a major brand? Typically, small companies just give you a ‘roof’ while major manufacturers have entire ‘systems’ of components working together for long-term home protection.
When it comes to asphalt roofing for the Central MA and Boston area, we only install GAF. Our teams know their systems extremely well, which is why we’re one of the few roofing companies in Massachusetts with Master Elite distinction.
GAF makes products that perform and last. They come covered by 50 years of non-prorated protection on ALL materials, as well as a 25-year non-prorated warranty on labor (workmanship, tear-off costs, disposal costs… everything!).
Your Installer
No matter what kind of roofing system you have, its age and performance are largely determined by the skill and precision of your installers. If your roof is relatively young and experiencing a lot of problems, there’s a good chance poor installation has something to do with it.
Do you know who those installers were? Are they still in business?
A big perk of working with manufacturers like GAF, is they make it easier to deal with certified and highly-trained installers through their certification system. GAF also sends out teams to ensure each install with a Golden Pledge passes their 40-point inspection. They’ve been around since the late 19th century, so their staying power is your peace of mind.
Climate
Here in Central MA…we get our fair share of extreme weather and temperature swings. Residential roofing in our area needs to be tough! Consider the difference between our average winter and winter in the southwest. How about the difference in summer weather from Boston to Miami?
If your roofing system is made of lower-quality materials. If it’s not a system at all but just a bunch of shingles thrown on the deck. If it lacks the proper levels of protection, then these are all indications you’re going to have to replace your roof relatively soon.
Upkeep & Maintenance
Roofing isn’t something homeowners should neglect, but they do. It’s often just one of those ‘out of sight, out of mind’ things. However, you want to try and keep it clear of debris. Don’t let branches and leaves pile up. There’s also the landscaping to consider, as well as pests and rodent issues.
To keep this brief, here are a number of signs as you consider how often to replace a roof in our part of the country.
- Keep an eye out for loose, cracked, damaged, curling, or missing shingles.
- Look for sagging of any kind in any part of the roof. This is a serious issue.
- Mold, rot, moss, or algae growing on the roof is definitely not a good sign.
- The clear presence of water damage, pooling, or leaking – poor water management.
- Holes are obviously a major problem, but keep an eye out for or dark spots as well.
- If you’re finding a ton of roofing granules in the gutter, the shingles are breaking down.
- Is there any damage to the roof which you forget about? Don’t neglect repairs.
Wrapping Up: Have A Problem? Call Solid State
We hope this article is helpful, but if you’re in our area and would rather speak to a professional directly, Contact Solid State Construction. When it comes to roofing, we’re New England’s biggest family-owned exterior remodeler, so our process is smooth and easy. Thanks for your time today, and we look forward to hearing from you.