If you’re someone who loves going on road trips, you know that certain things in life won’t last forever. That is especially true for material things; a conventional car battery will have a lifespan of around six years. Most of the time, a car battery’s life expectancy is also determined by its being used heavily. It shows that almost everything, primarily cars, gadgets, and even our homes, will have a lifespan.
Across Australia and New Zealand, some of the oldest homes date back to around the 18th century. Even then, most of these homes are still in pristine condition, even after being battered by decades of hard winds, storms, and the searing heat of droughts.
What makes these structures so resilient? For one, they are made with sturdy and timeless materials. But it’s not just about resiliency, but it’s also about how they are maintained continuously.
But for us effectively maintain our roof and our home, we have to look into tell-tale signs and factors that can affect our roof.
Factors to Consider
While most of these materials are meant to last years to decades, the lifespan of most materials is also determined by several things.
Right before we get into the different signs of ageing, we have to consider first the various factors that can affect your roof’s lifespan. While most types of roofs will have an average lifespan, this is still influenced by several conditions, such as weather and conditions present.
So what are some critical factors that affect lifespan?
- Weather conditions — Roofs are primarily designed to withstand storms, high winds, and changes in temperature. As such, weather conditions will heavily influence your roof’s integrity. Storms are risk factors and can affect the overall integrity of your roof. For instance, hail storms can significantly lower your roof’s lifespan while also leaving leaks and holes. That might force you to do repairs and replacements.
- Material used — Each type of content that’s used for your roof will have its own unique character, and the lifespan might vary. For instance, asphalt roofing will usually have a lifespan of around 20 to 30 years, while metal roofing can last from 30 to 50 years, depending on the quality of the product fresh off manufacturers.
- Age of material — Naturally, the age of the material will also be a factor. When you’re buying a new home, you’ll have to carefully inspect your roof and ask the real estate agent on how long the roof has been installed. If a roof was installed five years ago, and the average lifespan is 20 years, then it might have around 15 years of life expectancy left.
Thus, being situated in an area that has mild weather conditions while having suitable roofing materials can help optimise your roof.
Most real estate firms usually sell display homes that are situated in safe areas with the right weather conditions that maximise the lifespan of your home’s overall foundation and roofing.
What Are the Signs of Ageing?
So what are the signs of ageing that we should keep an eye out for?
Loss of Granules
Since some shingles are usually made out of gravel, naturally-cut stone, and asphalt, this is mainly caused by erosion from flowing water. Often, homes that are situated in areas that get a good amount of rain year-round will have granule loss.
Where do you usually see granule loss? You’ll often see traces of this on your gutters and drainage system. If you think that your roof is almost or is already passed its lifespan, you might want to take a good look at your gutters.
Bulging and Warping Roof
Most of the time, a warped roof is usually caused by fluctuations in temperature cause shingles to recede and expand. Other times, this is caused by a poor installation process. Compared to other tell-tale signs, a warped roof can be extreme and will lead to the whole roof system caving-in if nothing is done.
Most experts would treat a warped roof seriously, and roof replacement should be done as soon as possible. On the bright side, replacing your roof means you’ll have a new set of materials that you can work with and more lifespan.
Professional Help
If you’re in doubt of your abilities to discern these signs, you can have a professional roof inspector do the inspecting for you. Typically, this would cost around AUD 140 — AUD 360 depending on the scope of the inspection.
It’s also important to note that roofers can also do some inspection and maintenance work for your roof. Still, results may be biased and varied, especially when roofing contractors are businessmen that are inclined to fixing your roof.
If you’re planning on buying a new home, determining the age of the roof can give you much-needed information on how long it has been installed. It’s best to take a good look at your roof and look for these signs. A roof that’s severely damaged might need repairs, with permanent damages leading to replacements.
