Asphalt Shingle Roof Lifespans and Their Maintenance Needs

When you hire asphalt shingle roofing contractors in Fayetteville to install or replace your roof, it’s worth paying the money for a job well done. Asphalt shingles have a limited lifespan in the best of cases, and you want to know that your roof is going to last as long as possible.

However, the question still remains: how long can you expect an asphalt shingle roof to last? And what can you do to improve its lifespan?

Advanced Roofing Solutions has years of experience installing roofs across the greater Fayetteville area, and we always deliver top-quality work. We want our roofs to last as long as possible! So, let’s talk about asphalt shingle roofs and how you can make the most of your roofing investment.

Typical Lifespans of Asphalt Tile Roofs

In short: if it’s properly installed, you should expect your asphalt tile roof to last at least 20 years, with only minor maintenance problems such as the occasional broken shingle.

However, this also depends on the exact type of shingle you use.

3-tab shingles are the most basic, affordable, and commonplace type of asphalt shingles. It’s probably the type you imagine when reading about asphalt shingles. These are cheap to install, but they are easily damaged and have the shortest overall lifespan. Don’t expect much more than 20 years, maybe 25 years max.

Dimensional shingles are the mid-range option. They’re built to be tougher than 3-tab designs, and also typically have more complicated patterns or faux-material looks, such as cedar shake, so they can look nicer as well. They cost around 20% more than 3-tab tiles, but also last at least 20% longer. Expect 30+ years from dimensional shingles.

Luxury or Premium shingles are, as the name suggests, the most expensive of the lot. They’re larger than the other options, and also typically treated with more weatherproofing materials as well. So, they will easily last 30 years or even up to 40 in best cases.

Also, pay attention to the shingle manufacturer’s warranty. That usually provides a good metric for how long the tiles should last, possibly one that’s more accurate than a roofer’s estimate.

Factors That Affect Asphalt Tile Lifespans

1. Material and installation quality

Roofing is very much a “you get what you pay for” situation. If you go cheap, you get a cheap roof that breaks down quickly. But if you pay for experienced asphalt shingle roofing contractors who use quality materials, you’ll get a much longer lifespan from your roof. This is definitely a case where choosing the lowest bidder is a bad idea; you’ll undoubtedly end up paying for it down the line with numerous repair and maintenance issues.

Particularly poor roofers may even cut corners or do shoddy work. One common area of weakness isn’t even the tiles themselves, it’s the flashing. Flashing are pieces of sheet metal used to connect the roof tiles to other roof structures such as chimneys or skylights. Poor flashing will break quickly, allowing water into your home, as well as encouraging nearby tiles to become damaged.

2. Attic ventilation

One thing many homeowners don’t know is that the quality of their attic ventilation can have a huge impact on roofing lifespans. Heat rises, which is why the attic is almost always the warmest part of a house. However, if the attic gets too hot and there isn’t enough ventilation to get the hot air out, it can basically begin to cook your roof from below.

This will loosen the adhesives holding your roof together and damage the underlayment – the material in between the shingles and the underlying roof structure. In turn, this causes the shingles to loosen, causing a lot of damage. Always make sure your attic has good ventilation to extend your roof’s lifespan!

Speaking of heat…

3. The direction your roof faces

Generally speaking, a roof that faces east/west will have fewer problems than one which faces north/south. This is largely to do with the sun. An east/west roof will receive roughly equal sunlight – and heat – over the course of a day, as the sun travels from east to west.

However, a north/south roof will typically only see sunlight on one side all day. That side will be much more prone to wear and tear, due to the additional heat and UV damage. Obviously, you may not have a choice in how your home faces, but this is an issue you should be aware of.

4. Weather conditions

Since your roof is exposed to the elements 24/7, the weather conditions in your area will also have a big impact on your roof’s lifespan. Frequent storms will batter your roof with wind, rain, and blown debris. If you know that you’re going to see a lot of storms, it’s a very good idea to pay for better-quality tiles which can stand up to more abuse.

We also suggest inspecting your roof, or hiring experienced roof inspectors, after any large storm. There’s a high chance of at least minor damage occurring, and you want to get those minor issues fixed before they expand into big expensive problems.

On the topic, it’s also important to keep your gutters clean and flowing properly during and after a storm. Clogged gutters will encourage water to pool on the roof, which will quickly damage asphalt shingles – particularly cheaper 3-tab tiles.

      5.  Nearby trees

If you have trees near your home whose branches can potentially touch the roof, you must keep those branches trimmed if you want your roof to remain in good shape. A tree branch whipping around in the wind can do extensive damage to any part of the roof it touches, including the shingles, attachments, and gutters. A single good sweep can knock an entire row of asphalt tiles loose!

Advanced Roofing Solutions are Fayetteville’s choice for the best in roofing installation, repairs, and replacements. We can talk you through your options regarding roof materials, and help you find the right tiles – or other materials – for your home and your expected weather conditions.

Contact us to learn more!