How long should you roof last? If you’ve done just a little digging into this question, you’ve probably come across the “25-30 year rule” for replacing your roof. That figure is used as a benchmark. Most residential roofs need replacing within that window. However, there are quite a few variables to consider and not any roof is the same.

Your roof takes a lot of external wear and tear throughout each passing year. Sunlight, snow accumulation, strong winds, debris, rodents, hurricanes, or extreme weather conditions – all of these have an impact on a roof’s lifetime. How often your roof needs to be replaced depends on several factors:

  • Local weather
  • Yearly maintenance and care
  • Age of the materials
  • Quality of the materials
  • Building and design
  • Upkeep with minor repairs
  • Keeping pests and rodents away
  • External debris accumulation

In the tri-state area, our roofs experience all four seasons and the external beating that comes with them. So it’s important to keep up with maintenance and schedule regular roof inspections.

HOW LONG WILL YOUR ROOF LAST?

As a general rule, the 25 – 30 year benchmark works.  If your roof is that old, it’s likely that it will need replacement soon enough.  Some might even need a full roof replacement earlier.

However, that figure doesn’t tell the full story.  As we said above, there are many variables to consider.  One important variable is the materials used on your roof – both the actual material and the quality of it.

Typically, the 25 – 30 year rule extends to roof with composite or asphalt shingles.  These materials are very popular because they’re affordable and  come in many different options.  However, not everyone uses these materials for their roofs, So the timing for replacement can vary.