Whether you’re looking at buying a new house, a first-time homeowner or have owned property for some time, wondering how long your roof will last is likely to have crossed your mind. To answer this question, we need to look at what determines the need for a roof replacement, the average lifespan of the various types of roofing, and how you can prolong your roof’s lifespan. All this and more is covered below, read on to find out more.
7 Factors That Influence The Lifespan Of Your Roof
The most obvious factor in determining a roof’s lifespan is the type of roofing materials used to build your roof, particularly qualities such as durability in local conditions. However, just because you use good quality materials doesn’t mean you’ll instantly get the best out of your roof – let’s take a look at some of the other main factors affecting how long your roof will last below.
1. Local Weather Conditions
Out of all of the different elements that make up a building structure, the roof is designed to bear the worst of survival conditions. It faces the challenging task of protecting the building from wear and tear from constant exposure to local weather conditions. While this exposure is expected and best catered for – it is the amount of extreme weather your roof is exposed that greatly determines the impact on your roof’s lifespan. This includes facing drastic changes in temperature from hot to cold, bearing the brunt of heavy rain, hail and snow, bracing for high winds and storms as well as constant exposure to the sun’s damaging UV rays. These extremes place a strain on the roofing materials over time causing their eventual breakdown, resulting in cracks, splitting, breakages and deterioration.
2. Roof Colour
Surprisingly, it is true that something as simple as the colour of your roof can also affect its life expectancy. Stemming from the concept that different colours are able to attract or reflect heat, it is suggested that light coloured roofs are recommended in very sunny areas. The lighter the colour the more it reflects the heat off the roof surface. Darker colours tend to absorb the heat, increasing the extreme temperatures of the roofing materials, which could lead to more rapid deterioration over time. These extremes will eventually result in the need to replace your roof sooner rather than later.
3. Lack Of Maintenance
Prolonging the lifespan of your roof means it will require some care and attention over its lifetime. Regular maintenance and roof inspections will allow your roof to remain in better condition for longer. Why? Because maintenance and inspections help to identify common roofing issues early on before they become a much greater problem. Meaning you can make the necessary repairs before they worsen and require a full roof replacement. Most roofing contractors will recommend annual roof inspections to identify any maintenance or issues, plus an additional inspection immediately after any extreme weather events that have occurred.
4. Poor Installation
Poor workmanship during the installation process is a common reason roofs don’t last as long as they should. Finding the right roofing contractor for the job is essential on this one. Always do your research and choose professionals that use high-quality roofing materials, check their licenses, qualifications and experience – see here for more information on How To Find A Roofing Contractor Near You. In the meantime, some obvious signs of poor installation are nails or screws protruding from the surface of the roof, damaged roofing iron or tiles, leaks and old flashing that has been reused.
5. Roof Pitch
The slope or pitch of your roof has a significant impact on its ability to drain away water and reduce the build-up of snow (if it snows heavily where you live). Not surprisingly, a high pitch or steep-sloping roof is better able to provide efficient run-off and water drainage than a flat or low pitched roof. This means low slope roofs need more attention when it comes to checking for blockages, water build-up and drainage issues to prolong their lifespan and may even require more frequent repairs, maintenance and replacement.
6. Quality Of Materials Used
As we mentioned above, the biggest factor in roofing longevity comes down to the type and quality of roofing cladding used. As we all know (and have likely learned the hard way), low-quality materials are likely to wear out faster, resulting in more repairs and maintenance, significantly lowering life expectancy. Durability is the key to a long-lasting roof, keeping this in mind when choosing your roofing materials will be of benefit. For example here in New Zealand, long run roofing iron/steel is the preferred roofing option as it responds well under New Zealand conditions, is earthquake friendly and provides an extremely durable roofing surface for upwards of 50 years or more in most cases.
7. Inadequate Ventilation
Easily overlooked, adequate ventilation actually plays an important role in the ongoing health of your roof. The reason for this is that if your roof can avoid facing extreme temperatures by maintaining a more consistent environment it will be better able to withstand the force of the elements over time. The easiest way to achieve this is to make sure adequate ventilation is part of the roof structure. Ventilation allows the roof to ‘breathe’, reducing the likelihood of damage resulting from moisture build-up from condensation, peeling paint etc.
Average Lifespans Of Roofing Materials In NZ
In New Zealand, the most common type of roofing materials are roofing iron products (long run iron, pressed metal tiles etc.) such as Colorsteel or ColorCote, it is also common to see a variety of concrete or clay-based tiles, plus the use of membrane style roofing and composite shingles in some cases. All of these options have their pros and cons and suitability for different environmental conditions. As a rough guide these are their expected lifespans:
- Long run Roofing Iron – 40-70 years, depending on the material and installation quality.
- Clay tiles – anywhere from 30 to 50 years or more with proper maintenance.
- Concrete tiles – anywhere from 30 to 50 years or more, with proper maintenance.
- Membrane roofing – 10 to 25 years with proper maintenance.
- Decromastic roofing (pressed metal roofing) – 30 to 50 years if well-maintained and hasn’t been walked on.
- Composite shingles – 40–50 years
How To Extend Your Roof’s Life Span
So, what can you do to get the maximum amount of life out of your roof? The good news is there are a few key things you can do not only extend the roof’s lifespan but also contribute to overall home safety and value.
- Trim overhanging branches, and remove trees that are too close to your roof.
- Keep the gutters and valleys clean so water can properly flow away from your roof even in heavy rainfall.
- Swiftly remove the build-up of leaves or debris, which can trap moisture and cause damage.
- Have your roof inspected regularly by a local roofing contractor to address minor problems before they become major ones.
- Be mindful that what you put on your roof, this includes everything from Christmas lights and decorations through to solar panels and satellite dishes. These things can unwittingly cause damage or create a potential hazard.
- If you notice any issues such as cracks, missing tiles, rust or leaks, take care of them as soon as possible to maintain the roof’s integrity and limit the potential for severe damage.
When Should You Consider Roof Replacement?
Hiring a local roofer to carry out a roof inspection is the best way to find out if your roof needs replacing. However, as an indication there are some definite warning signs that you need a new roof, keep in mind that although some of these issues may seem minor, they are often a sign of hidden issues and damage – here’s a quick breakdown of what to look for:
- Cracks
- Rust
- Broken tiles
- Leak damage
- Mould/Mildew
- Holes
- Missing mortar
- Slipped tiles
- Pieces of roofing in the gutters
- Cracked or curled shingles
- Extensive flashing deterioration
- Sagging
- Signs of significant water damage
- Soffit discoloration
Need a roof inspection or thinking about replacing your roof? Give Action Reroofing a call today for a free no obligation quote.
