When it comes to keeping your home in top shape, it’s easy to underestimate just how important your roof is. Believe it or not, if left unattended, a small fault in your roof can eventually bring the whole house down, so it pays to keep your roof in top shape.
Previously, we’ve talked about which signs will tell you that it’s time to change your roof, but it’s important to know how long, on average, each kind of roof lasts, so you can prepare accordingly.
Average Lifespan of Common Roof Materials
Composition Shingles
By far the most popular kind of rooftop in America, composition shingles offer a lot of versatility in terms of color and style.
This is also one of the most affordable roof materials to both install and replace, and has an average lifespan of 12 to 20 years.
The traditional roof-mounted solar panels are almost always included on your home’s insurance. After all, once they’re installed, they’ll form part of your house, and that will be the case until you decide to move out or take them down.
Since most home insurance policies already cover solar panel installations, what you should really focus on is just how much your insurance policy covers.
When Are Residential Solar Panels Not Covered By Insurance?
Insurance offers no coverage for solar panels that are placed on the floor and, curiously enough, your walls, even though those are as much part of your home as the roof is.
Likewise, depending on how your home is built, your insurance may or may not cover solar panels placed on a detached garage or pergola.
You’ll want to make sure to call your insurance and ask about their solar panel policies to know exactly how much they’ll cover.
Should I Consult With My Insurance Provider Before Installing Residential Solar Panels?
Composition Shingles
By far the most popular kind of rooftop in America, composition shingles offer a lot of versatility in terms of color and style.
This is also one of the most affordable roof materials to both install and replace, and has an average lifespan of 12 to 20 years.
Asphalt Shingles
Affordable, versatile, and easy to replace, Asphalt Shingles are the more durable cousin of Composition shingles, and their longer lifespan reflects that as roofs that use this material tend to last anything between 15 to 30 years.
Wood Shingles
A far less common option for roof materials, wood shingles give homes a beautiful and natural appearance that is hard to surpass. Wood shingles also offer exceptional resistance against wind and hail, and can last 20 to 25 years on average.
Rubber Roofs
Though not as beautiful and eye-catching as other kinds of roofs, rubber roofs have a fairly long lifespan of 20 to 25 years, and offer a wide variety of advantages over other materials.
This kind of roof is easy to clean and maintain and offers superior insulation to other materials, making them a material worth considering.
Metal Roofs
By far the sturdiest and most long-lasting of all roof materials, metal roofs are resistant to fire and require almost no material whatsoever.
They can be fairly pricey to install, but once they’re there, you can rest assured they’ll be there for a long time, as metal rooftops can last a whopping 75 years without needing to be replaced, though their average lifespan can last anything from 50 to 75.
Things to Keep in Mind
While different materials offer different advantages and disadvantages, there’s one thing they all have in common:
Their lifespan depends greatly on the weather conditions of the place you live in.
If your roofs are subjected to harsh weather regularly, there’s a good chance they’ll get damaged more often, which means they’ll need to be replaced sooner.
Not only that, not all rooftop materials are suitable for all houses, as things like environment or location can make them unsuitable in general.
Wood shingles, for example, are objectively beautiful, but they should never be used in areas prone to wildfires, as they can be pretty flammable and will do more harm than good.
Metal roofs, on the other hand, are highly resistant to fire, but aren’t as insulating as wood, and don’t fare well in humid climates.
Working With the Experts
Whether you’re planning to completely change your roof or you’re just looking to repair it, it’s important to work with dedicated professionals, and if you live in the San Diego area, your best bet is EZ Solar & Electric.
With over two decades of experience, EZ Solar can help you evaluate, repair, and replace your rooftop at an affordable price, without sacrificing their high-quality work and personal touch.
Not only that, but they can also help prepare your roof for solar panel installation, making them a one-stop solution for all of your roofing needs!
