Dealing with Your Roof When It Gets Old

A home is not really a home. It is a collection of systems. These systems are surprisingly varied when it comes to their lifespan. Specifically, the may last a long time or, in the case of a roof, they may not.

The anticipated lifespan of a roof can vary wildly. While factors like material types and the quality of installation are certainly paramount issues, the biggest issue is really the wear and tear that nature puts on a roof.

Think about it. The average roof takes a beating. 365 days a year it just sits and bakes in the sun. It expands as it heats up during the day and then contracts as it cools off at night. It gets pummeled by rain, wind and flying objects. Heck, it is pretty amazing it lasts as long as it does.

Given the beating a roof takes, it is not surprising that the type of roofing material used makes a huge difference. A slate rock roof is like putting tank armor on your home. It is going to last for at least 70 years, but it is going to cost you an arm and leg to buy and install.

If you have a small budget, the cheapest roof system available is the infamous wood shake shingle roof. Well, it is cheap to buy and install, but will cost you in the long run. Why? It will only last between 10 and 25 years.

Whenever you use wood on a house, there is always the fire concern. One needs only watch the fires in Southern California to watch wood shingle roofs go up in flames one after the other. This is even true for fire retardant wood shingles.

If you like tiles, I have good news for you. One of the best roofing choices you have from both a financial, aesthetic and fire resistant point of view is the tile roof. They will last between 30 and 40 years as well so long as you consistently replace any broken shingles.

One really interesting new type of roofing you might want to check out is solar shingle roofing. These roofs come in rolls that are spread out in vertical columns down your roof. They are layered so that they look like flat shingles overlapping from top to bottom.

The concept of the solar shingle is revolutionary. It turns your entire roof into an electricity generator. You can heat and cool your home using the power. You can run appliances, leave lights on and so on. All for just the cost of the initial system.

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.