5 Ways to Increase the Lifespan of Your Roof

As we head off into 2018, it means the roof on your house is one year closer to needing to be replaced. While roof replacement is not a project that most homeowners look forward to, most homeowners also don’t know what can prematurely age their roofs and, therefore, how to avoid replacing the roof for as long as possible.

While there are an ever-increasing number of materials used in roofing, including metal, wood shakes and slate, asphalt still accounts for 70% to 80% of the residential roofing market.

Asphalt shingles generally last 20 to 25 years, depending on their warranty rating, but some last longer.

Here’s a list of just some of the things that can maximize the lifespan of asphalt shingles

1. Choose the Right Colour

Darker colours retain more of the sun’s heat, which can shorten their lifespan.

2. Remove Old Shingles Before Installing New Ones

Sure, your roofing company might tell you it’ll save you money to just put the new shingles over the old ones, but that’s not necessarily so. Yes, it’ll cost less to install, but you’ll probably need a new roof sooner than later.

3. The Quality of the Shingles

Like most things, the higher the quality of the roofing shingles, the longer they’ll last – usually long enough to justify the extra cost.

4. Install Good Attic Ventilation

Ventilating your attic is one of the best things you can do for your roof inside and out. Without the proper ventilation, moisture will be more of a problem in summer and ice dams in the winter, both of which will deteriorate your shingles.

5. Avoid Wear and Tear

If you walk on your roof more than average, or the roof gets a lot of wildlife traffic, like birds and squirrels, or trees overhang the roof, which would mean more debris blowing into the roof, it will likely mean you will need new shingles sooner than later.

Want Your Roof to Last as Long as Possible?

Following the guidelines above, you should install a lighter-coloured, top-quality shingles onto a clean roof deck, while making sure the roof has proper ventilation. After that, stay off your roof, do what you can to prevent animals from using your roof, and keep foliage away from it whenever possible.