What to Know About Roofs

Roofs are an important consideration if you are considering the purchase of an already lived in home. You will need to pay attention to what roofing materials the roof on the home you are buying currently has, what state of repair those materials are in, and in general how long the roof is likely to last before it needs replacing. If you are looking to buy a fifteen to twenty year old home, for example, it could be that you will have a major additional expense on your hands after just a few more years. This article will discuss the major types of roofing materials used these days and how long they would normally be expected to last before needing replacement.

One doesn’t see too many houses with slate roofs, and if you do run across a slate roof it is probably on a very old house. Slate roofs are very expensive, but they last more than a lifetime. Slate roofs can be expected to last for 100 years or more since the slate is a material that just doesn’t wear out. Again, these might be found on Victorian style homes in old neighborhoods that are many years old. More modern and less expensive materials include clay and concrete tiles. These are popular in southern and western states, and clay tiles can last for 40 years or even longer. Metal roofs are being used more and more these days for their durability, and some of these will last from 25-40 years. Even wooden shake shingles are still pretty popular in some areas, but other locations are banning their use because they are flammable. There are some synthetic shingles built to look like wood shingles, and those can last a long time. If they are on the house you are thinking about purchasing, ask the owner or realtor what kind of warranty they came with. The most common types of shingles used these days are made from asphalt. Common asphalt shingles are the easiest roofing material to install, and this also contributes to their relatively low cost. The expected lifetime for asphalt shingles is about twenty years. Asphalt composite shingles last much longer. They are made of several layers of material pressed together, and they typically come with warranties of 30, 40 or 50 years. They are just as easy to install as standard asphalt shingles, so their cost is relatively attractive.

Again, ask your realtor or the home owner what kind of roof is on the house and how old it is. You might even want to get up on the roof and take a look to see if any pieces of shingle are lying around the roof or if any are missing.