A damaged and leaky roof can cost the homeowners thousands of dollars in damage, lost utilities, and extensive replacement costs. It is extremely important to identify and keep tabs on the status of your roof. If you have just moved into your residence or do not know when the roof was installed and/or repaired, you should obtain this knowledge immediately.



The construction material, dimension, installation, and age of your roof are all important factors in determining how your roof will wear and when repairs or replacement may be necessary. Assuming that the roof is of a residential building, it will most likely be on a relatively steep pitch in relation to the ground. Roofs that are not pitched (that are parallel to the ground) are often found on commercial and industrial buildings, and rarely found on houses due to the lack of drainage.

Construction Material

While the outer layer of roofs may be made of anything from straw to glass and concrete to aluminum, many modern residential roofs are made with asphalt shingles. While slate shingles are most often regarded as the pinnacle material in the construction of roofs, it is often so expensive that just the roof may equal the cost of the rest of the house. However, the high price of slate is warranted, as these roofs are often known to last 200 years or more on many structures.

In many modern societies, residents do not have or are not willing to double the expense of their home solely for a quality roof. Also, no residents would even experience the entire benefit of a slate roof, because the roof would outlive their installer's lives by over 100 years!

Due to these limitations of slate roofs, asphalt is the most common material in roofing projects today. Although it does not last the hundreds of years a slate roof would provide, it can provide over 50 years of solid use before requiring any major repairs or replacement. In addition, the products available to do repair and patching work are much more affordable than would be for a slate roof.

Dimension

Typical asphalt roofs have three different grades, or steps up in quality. In order from highest quality to lowest, the grades are 30, 40, and 50 year dimensional. As you may have guessed, a 50 year dimensional shingle is much more expensive than is a 30 or 40 year of the same style.

The major difference between different year shingles besides for the life expectancies listed below is the aesthetic look that the shingle provides. A 50 year shingle will provide what many regard as a more prestigious and astute look than a 30 or 40 year provide.

30 Year Dimensional Shingle

If a 30 year shingle is properly installed, it is likely to last about 25 years of normal wear and tear before it requires substantial repairs. These shingles are relatively thin and are not made with as much asphalt as a 40 or 50 year shingle is.

40 Year Dimensional Shingle

Assuming the 40 year shingle is properly installed, you should experience approximately 30 years of use before replacement is necessary. 40 year shingles have approximately 2/3 more asphalt than a 30 year shingle, therefore adding to their life expectancy and per unit price.

50 Year Dimensional Shingle

Much like that of a 40 year shingle, you should expect 30 years of use from a 50 year dimensional shingle. The additional asphalt that a 50 year shingle is formed with is simply for aesthetic looks and provides little to no practical use.

Installation

The installation of your roof is very important in determining the look and practicality that the roof will provide you. If installed by an experienced and professional firm, your roof should be able to extract its maximum life expectancy with minimal repairs and part replacement costs.

Many homeowners who perform a Do It Yourself (DIY) roof installation run into issues within a few years because their knowledge or experience is lacking. However, a few homeowners are successful in their installation attempts if they purchase and successfully follow a DIY book or other instructional material.