Roofing Materials Lifespan Averages

When choosing the types of materials to use to construct your roof, you must take the roofing materials lifespan into account as this will dictate how long your roof will last before having to be replaced.

The total lifespan of the roof will depend on a number of different factors, including which roofing style is chosen, which materials are used in the creation of the roof, and the climate in the area where the home is located. Many homeowners choose to use roofing products that have nearly the same lifespan so that they are not repairing items piece by piece throughout a ten to fifteen year period.

In most cases, the materials that are used to create your roofing style will last for about twenty years. This is if the roof has been maintained properly and there has been no significant damage to the roof from the weather in the intervening years. Some materials can have a lifespan of as much as 50 years while some others can have a lifespan that lasts as little as 10 years.

Here are some of the common roofing materials and their relative lifespan:

Asphalt Roofing Materials

The average lifespan of asphalt roofing materials range from 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance. Asphalt roofing materials are one of the most common types of roofing materials used throughout the nation for both private homes and business offices because of the low cost of the materials and the ease in which the roof can be repaired.

Asphalt roofing materials can be constructed as either asphalt shingles or a rolled asphalt product that can come in a wide variety of colors and styles for the homeowner to choose from.

Fiberglass

The average lifespan of fiberglass roofing materials ranges between 15 and 20 years. Roofing made out of fiberglass requires very little maintenance and can be manufactured in many different colors and styles to give the homeowner the roof that they desire for their home. Roofs made from this material are also water resistant and mold resistant as there are no organic materials present in the roof to help the mold grow.

Wooden Shakes or Shingles

Many homes in the northeastern portion of the nation use wooden shakes and shingles as their roofing material of choice. These roofing materials will generally last for about 15 to 20, although they could last for as many as 30 years if the shakes and shingles are well maintained.

The biggest benefits to using these roofing materials are that they are natural products that help the home blend into the environment and if any are damaged, they are very simple to replace.

Slate

Some homeowners choose to use slate roofing materials for their home because they are some of the longest lasting roofing products on the market, with an average lifespan ranging between 40 and 75 years.

Once the roofing materials have been added to the home, they will generally remain in excellent condition for the entire period that the homeowner is present in the home. Slate roofing materials are fireproof and require very little maintenance, but are fragile and can break if weight is placed on top of them.

Metal

Metal roofing products are another choice for homeowners looking for long lasting roofing materials, with an average lifespan of nearly 50 years. Metal roofing products come in a wide variety of different colors, finishes, and styles, including those that resemble other types of roofing materials such as tiles or wooden shingles. These roofing products are virtually impervious to bad weather and can be installed over the roof that is presently on the home.