Re-Roofing Archives – RoofingCalc.com

Average Roof Lifespan – How Long Does a Roof Last?

June 21, 2021June 12, 2021

If you are in the process of buying a new home, you probably want to know the age of the roof and how much longer it will last. Similarly, if you’ve lived in your home for a while, you are probably also wondering about the current condition of the roof and whether it’s time to consider some viable replacement options.

This guide outlines the expected lifespans of most popular roofing systems for homes. Print it out and use it to assess the life expectancy of any roof when buying a new home or planning for future roof replacement needs in your own home.

Right Off the Bat: A typical asphalt shingle roof will normally last anywhere from 15 to 25 years (and up to 30+ years in some rare cases) before requiring a replacement.

That said, there are several different kinds of asphalt shingles, as well as other roofing materials to consider when estimating longevity of a particular roofing system. Let’s get started.

Average Lifespans for Most Popular Residential Roof Systems:

1. Asphalt Shingles

3-tab or 25-year Shingles shingle is the most basic and least costly asphalt roofing option for slopped residential roofs. A typical 3-tab asphalt roof will last anywhere from 10 to 20 years, depending on the environment and slope of the roof.

Cracks or thermal splitting in asphalt shingles

3-tab shingles are an OK option for temperate climates, but they are not at all suitable for storm-prone areas like Florida. The maximum wind-uplift a 3-tab shingle roof can withstand is 60 MPH to 70 MPH.

Note: When exposed to strong, direct sunlight and rapid temperature changes i.e., thermal shocks that are commonly associated with southern states and desert climate zones — think places like Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Nevada, and parts of California that are mostly deserts — asphalt shingles can develop cracks, resulting in a greatly diminished lifespan and premature failure.

Architectural aka 30-Year and 40-year Dimensional or Laminate Shingles are thicker and hence more durable and longer lasting than their entry-level counterparts, three-tab strip shingles. Most architectural shingle roofs will last anywhere from 15 to 25 years, depending on the environment.

Maximum wind uplift for most architectural shingle products is 110 MPH. With an enhanced 6-nail installation method and roof-frame bracing, the wind uplift rating can be increased to 130 MPH. The one exception is the GAF’s Timberline HDZ shingle that comes with the standard 130 MPH warranty, even when installed using the standard nailing method.

50 Year Premium Shingles are normally fancier-looking asphalt shingles designed for premium homes. A premium shingle is normally thicker and will last longer than a mid-range architectural shingle. Expected lifespan of a premium shingle roof is anywhere from 20 to 35 years with proper maintenance, depending on the environment.

GAF Premium Asphalt Shingles: Camelot Williamsburg Slate

Wind uplift ratings for premium designer shingles are similar to architectural shingles. Premium shingles (like architectural shingles) can also include special properties such as enhanced solar reflectance aka CoolRoof rating and hail impact damage resistance for hail prone areas.

See more details on various types of premiums shingles here: https://www.roofingcalc.com/gaf-vs-certainteed-roofing-shingles/

Tell-Tale Signs to Consider a Full Replacement: If the asphalt shingles on your roof have developed major cracks, lost a lot of sand granules, are chipping and look dried-up or curled up, then you know it’s time for a new roof.

If the shingles are still in a seemingly good shape, but the roof has sustained significant storm or hail damage, then it’s probably time to consider replacement or partial replacement.

New Shingle Roof $7,500 Average price	New Metal Roof $14,500 Average price	New Flat Roof $8,225 Average price
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Pros & Cons of CertainTeed Shingles – Costs – Unbiased CertainTeed Roofing Reviews

June 7, 2021May 31, 2021

It is generally agreed that CertainTeed’s shingle quality is at or near the top of all fiberglass (fiberglass-reinforced mat that serves as a base for asphalt composition shingle) shingle brands.

Certainteed Grand Manor Shingles Roof in Colonial Slate

via Pro Home 1

CertainTeed’s large selection of available asphalt shingle products includes the most luxury roofing shingle lines of any brand, plus the mid-grade architectural or dimensional shingles, and the basic 3-tab or strip shingles.

CertainTeed’s Grand Manor and Presidential Shake products are prime examples of Premium roofing shingles that have enhanced depth and differentiated appearance.

CertainTeed’s Landmark PRO roofing shingles are an example of a traditional architectural shingle designed to appear fuller and more dimensional compared to the flattish-looking 3-tab shingle. Dimensional shingles are also thicker and heavier than the basic 3-tab strip shingles.

Did you know? CertainTeed is a heavyweight brand – literally. Its shingles contain more asphalt than most.

CertainTeed shingles, even the 3-tab strip shingles, weigh 200-plus pounds per square. Most weigh 250-480lbs per square. More weight means better durability (and impact resistance).

Other brands’ shingles weigh 160-280lbs per roofing square.

But what about the price? It’s not a secret that all, CertainTeed is the most expensive brand overall. It sometimes denies warranty claims, though that’s a common complaint about all shingle brands.

Are CertainTeed Shingles Your Best Shingle Option?

Anyone researching shingles will find a lot of praise for CertainTeed roofing, along with a few horror stories.

This in-depth review provides unbiased information to help you make a well-educated buying decision.

Information in this guide is based on the perspectives of roofing contractors who install a wide range of products from different asphalt shingle brands, home inspectors that regularly check CertainTeed shingle and other roofs for potential problems, and homeowners who have lived beneath these shingles for years.

Owens Corning vs. GAF Roofing Shingles: Cost, Pros & Cons, and More

July 5, 2021May 29, 2021

GAF and Owens Corning own the largest share of the asphalt shingle market in America, and apart from CertainTeed, another major player in the fiberglass shingles market, no other manufacturer comes close.

Most homeowners choose between GAF Timberline and Owens Corning Duration shingles. However, both brands make additional lines of shingles across the traditional and premium categories that are also worth considering. GAF offers an impressive 20 lines of asphalt shingles to choose from compared to 12 main lines of shingles from Owens Corning.

Did you know? Independent roofers are often happy to install either brand – especially the bread-and-butter lines such as GAF Timberline HDZ and OC TruDefinition Duration shingles.

What we cover in this guide: This is a complete Owens Corning vs. GAF side-by-side comparison across all the main categories that matter to homeowners. It analyzes head-to-head the shingle options, quality, prices, warranties, and specialty shingles including those with Energy Star, Cool Roof, and Class 4 Hail Impact Resistance ratings.

Let’s put the comparison between these two popular brands into proper perspective right from the start

Owens Corning focuses mostly on the mid-range architectural shingle products, although it also makes low-cost 3-tab Supreme shingles rated for 60 MPH winds, and a few premium lines like Berkshire and Woodmoor.

GAF covers the spectrum more completely with a couple of 3-tab options like the Marquis Weathermax with an 80 MPH wind warranty and seven premium designer lines like the classic Camelot II and the beefy shake-designed Grand Sequoia available in standard and Class 4 Hail Impact rated shingle options.

In this guide:

In each major category, we pick a winner to help you choose shingles that will beautifully and effectively serve your home over the next couple of decades or longer.

General Quality
Costs
Performance and Value
Hail Impact Resistant Shingles
Energy-efficiency: Cool Roof Shingles
CA Title 24, LA County Green Building Code Roof Shingles
Warranty Comparison
Bottom-line and Takeaways