Dealing with Your Roof When It Gets Old
When you buy a home for the first time, it is easy to assume that all elements of it will last a long time. This actually is not true. Many are surprised to learn that the roof on most residential homes will never last as long as the home itself.
Why is there such a difference in the expected ages of a roof? Well, the obvious issues are the quality of the materials being used and installation, but the bigger issue has to do with Mother Nature. Simply put, she is plenty strong and must be respected.
When you think about it, a roof lasts an amazingly long time. It expands every day when the sun beats down on it and then contracts when night comes. It takes all the wind can give, gets pummeled by rain and even holds up snow many feet thick.
If you really want the roof on your home to last, there is only one choice. Slate roofing can last 70, 80 or even 100 years. Like rock in nature, it can take a beating and keep performing. The only downside is it is expensive to purchase and put up.
The current economic situation is pretty bad, so a lot of people are watching their wallet. The cheapest roof replacement you can go with is a wood shingle roof. Beware, however, that while it is cheap up front, it will cost you in the end since it might only last 10 to 15 years.
Unlike slate roofs, there is another concern with wood shingle systems. Fire is the problem. Embers landing on wood shingle roofs almost always turn them into fire pits. You can buy far retardant treated wood shingles, but they are not much better.
A happy middle point between the cost of slate and the fire risk of wood roofs is the tile roof. It is highly fire resistant and will not cost you an arm and leg to install. Most tile roofs will also last up to 45 years, which is a nice lifespan.
The cost of energy for a home is going up, but a new roofing system may bring relief. The solar shingle system produces electricity for your home without the big obnoxious solar panels. How? The entire shingle is the solar cell, but looks like a normal shingle.
The solar shingle is pretty amazing. Initially, it turns your roof into an energy producer. In some states, you can feed that energy into the local utility system and actually make your meter run backwards, which eliminates your utility bill. Nice, eh?
Sooner or later, you are going to have to improve or replace the roof on your home. Instead of just automatically putting up the same type of roof, take some time to explore your options. You have plenty of choices.
