How long does a roof last? 7 warning signs that it’s time to replace or fix your roof

Key points

• Depending on the material, a roof can last 10 to well over 50 years without needing repair.
• There are key steps you can take to extend your roof’s life span, from regular maintenance checks to gutter cleaning.
• If you need a new roof, the right material for you will depend on your weather conditions, local building regulations, whether the roof is sloped or flat, and, of course, your budget.

Your roof is your home’s crowning glory — after all, it keeps you warm in winter, cool in summer and dry year-round. It’s also the finishing touch that makes your house look complete. But the truth is, most of us take our roofs for granted.

How long does a roof last, anyway? You probably don’t think too much about its life span until there’s a problem, such as a roof leak or crack that invites squirrels into your attic. 

“Most homeowners wouldn’t know what to look for,” said Patrick Ward of P&W General Contracting, a company that has been installing, repairing and replacing roofs in Brooklyn, New York, for almost 20 years. In Ward’s experience, homeowners call when there is already a leak. 

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That said, there are telltale signs that it’s time to consider patching up your roof — or replacing it entirely. When your roof starts to crack, spread, leak or get past its prime, there are a few things to consider as you decide if it’s an isolated problem that could be fixed or if the whole roof needs to go.

If you’re already a homeowner, here’s what to look for to maintain your roof and how to solve problems before leaks start.

What is the average life span of a roof?

A roof’s life span can range from 10 to 50-plus years, depending on the material. “Obviously, a lot of roof replacement, repair and longevity really depends on climate,” said Danny Spears, CEO and founder of Captex Construction in Austin.

Regardless of where you live, your roof needs to stand up to the elements. “Water, rain, sun, sleet, snow is the killer to all [roofs],” Spears added.

Algae, mold and pests also present problems. The key to a long roof life expectancy is to pay attention to your roof and treat it with care that aligns with its material. A metal roof and an asphalt shingle roof need different care, for example.

If you are replacing a roof or building a new home and considering roofing systems, you’ll also need to know the construction laws in your area. In many states, including New York, you’re allowed to install a new asphalt shingle roof over an old one — a process called a “layover” — but it can only have up to two layers at a time, said Ward. 

In other states, layovers are prohibited, and the old roof must be torn out before getting replaced with a new one. To learn the laws in your area, the International Code Council is a good place to start.

Each roofing material has different properties suited to specific climates and architectural styles, all of which contribute to a roof’s life expectancy. 

Asphalt shingles

The most affordable and common roofing option, asphalt roof shingles, are those squares you see covering peaked roofs — you can’t shingle a flat roof because water doesn’t drain off quickly enough. With proper care, asphalt shingles last 15 to 30 years, although longevity depends on the shingle type, Ward said.

Made of asphalt and other materials, including fiberglass and various metals, they’re topped with granules that give them a gritty surface which helps them resist damage from UV rays, adds to their fire resistance and gives the shingles their signature appearance. 

They can be repaired in sections, or a new shingle roof can be installed over an existing one in a layover if state law permits. 

The downsides to asphalt shingles? They hold onto heat. Asphalt shingles can retain heat from a 100-degree day until 2 or 3 a.m., Spears said, noting that this can impact your home’s energy consumption.

While the cost of an asphalt shingle roof will vary based on the type of shingle used and the size of the roof, Ward said they start around $4 per square foot.

Clay shingles

Beloved for their longevity and Mediterranean visual appeal, terra cotta roof tiles are made of clay and are considered “specialty roofs,” Ward said. His partner, Brian Germann, pointed out that clay tile roofs “supposedly last for the life span of the house,” and there are clay roofs that have lasted 75, 100 years and even more. “You do end up getting a leak here or there, so you have to go and patch it,” Germann said.

The good news is that clay roof tiles can be replaced one at a time. The bad news is that they will need to be replaced at some point, as they can crack. Damage can occur from a falling branch or if someone accidentally steps on the tiles while doing repairs.

You may also be able to salvage intact tiles when addressing an issue in the underlayment underneath. “One advantage of clay roof tiles is that they still may have life left in them to be reinstalled once the underlayment is replaced,” said Stephen Riale, CARE area manager of GAF, a roofing and waterproofing manufacturer.

Terra cotta tiles perform well in sunny climates, releasing heat, but they are very heavy, making them unsuitable for snowy regions. These beauties cost two to four times as much as asphalt shingles. “Instead of paying $100, you’re paying $400,” Ward said. “That’s top shelf. But terra cotta doesn’t wear and tear. Once it’s up, it’s up.” 

Wood shingles

Once the most common type of roofing, wood shingles are now a rare choice. It is usually added for aesthetic reasons. “Oh man, wood shingle roofs are so beautiful,” Spears said. “But you won’t see cedar wood shake shingles in Texas. It’s just too hot, and as wood is exposed to sun, it blisters, it cracks, it opens, it allows moisture to come through and you just have failures.” 

“You don’t get a lot of wood shingles anymore,” Germann added. “It’s a lot easier for them to deteriorate than the asphalt shingles.” If the wood shingles split, it can damage the entire roofing system by weakening the attachment points and making them susceptible to wind and water intrusion, Riale pointed out.

While they are prone to moisture damage, mold and pests, hardwood shingles can last 15 years in the right climate.

As our experts do not work with wood shingles, they were not able to provide accurate costs, but they noted that this type of roofing will cost less than terra cotta. 

But before you fall in love with the beauty of a wood roof, consider that they’re deemed a firebrand material (the embers will carry if the roof catches fire) and can contribute to the spreading of wildfires. Wood shingle roofs are prohibited in states including Nevada, Kansas and California.

Slate shingles

Much like terra cotta, natural slate is fire- and mold-resistant, looks great, can be replaced in sections and is expected to survive the lifetime of the home. A slate roof is gorgeous and classic, a design status symbol.

It’s also pricey and heavy. “You’ll never see a slate roof up in Chicago,” Spears said. “There’s just too much snow, and the weight of the snow on top of the roof is just not good for the structure.” 

While you can replace individual slate tiles, this is something a professional roofer should do. “If you have a water leak or a water penetration or something along those lines, the moment you step on the roof, you’re breaking tiles,” Spears warned. Slate roofs typically have special step-up notches to help professionals with access.

Slate is also similar in cost to terra cotta — up to four times the cost of asphalt shingles, as estimated by our experts. According to an estimate from a roofer in the Cleveland area, it would cost $770 to replace 18 slates. This includes removing broken slate pieces and replacing them with similar salvaged slate.

Synthetic slate shingles weigh and cost less than natural slate but are still up there in terms of price. “It’s a lighter product, and it looks beautiful, and it performs right, it’s just so expensive,” Spears said. “With composite [shingles], it’s four times what it would cost to be another material that would serve the same purpose.”

Rubber roofing

Rubber roofing comes in 100-square-foot rolls and is made for flat roofs. Fireproof and durable, rubber roofs can last up to 50 years (and then could be recycled). 

“We use a system called APP Firestone Rubber 180,” Ward said. “You just roll it right onto the roof, it can either be glued or torched down.” Torching involves melting the seams together with a propane torch. 

You can extend a rubber roof’s life span by applying a “silver coating” of paint with an aluminum-like finish every three to five years to help the rubber resist UV rays. Ward and Germann also recommended adding a silicone coating, which has a 15- to 20-year warranty and requires virtually no roof maintenance in between. 

One caveat? It’s more of a commercial real estate look. “Rubber roofing is great, but is it really pretty?” Spears asked. “You’re taking functionality and longevity, but you’re not getting a classic look.”

We inquired about EPDM membrane flat roof estimates to recover an addition on a house in the Cleveland area and received quotes between $8,750 and $13,790 for a 250-square-foot rubber roof. The lowest estimate included removal and disposal, new fiberboard and EPDM membrane. The highest cost estimate included removal and disposal, ice and water shield installation, fiberboard and new EPDM membrane secured with copper flashing.

Metal roofing

Metal roofing is Spears’s material of choice. With a minimum life span of 50 years, “the longevity of metal far surpasses composition shingles, slate tile roofs and all of those things,” he explained.  

Another benefit of having a metal roof in hotter climates is that the material cools to temperature when the sun goes down. This not only helps with roof longevity, but makes your home more energy efficient, Spears added.

Thanks to a series of interlocking panels secured onto the wooden deck below them, metal roofs are leak-resistant. “There’s no water penetration that can get through a metal roof — none,” Spears said. “The only downfall is hail, where you get denting.” 

Metal roofs cost significantly more than asphalt shingle roofs. “If we’re going to use a standard architectural shingle that has a 25- to 30-year life on it, it’s roughly 60% of what a metal roof will cost,” Spears said. To justify the investment, consider how long you plan to stay in the house. If this is your forever home, then having a roof that will last you 50 years versus 25 (as with asphalt shingles) makes more sense.

What are signs that my roof needs to be repaired?

Minor disrepair does not mean that you have to replace the entire roof right away. The important thing is to pay attention so that something small doesn’t end up deteriorating the entire roof.

• Minor leaking: You may be able to isolate the problem if the leak and water damage are minimal, Ward explained. You have the option to replace individual shingles or, in the case of an asphalt roof, do a layover (if allowed). Once that second layer starts to have problems, then the roof has to be replaced entirely. “Plywood, felt paper and then the shingles,” Ward said.
• Spidering: If you have a flat roof with rubber roofing that starts cracking when you step on it, that’s called spidering. “You see cracks everywhere, like a spiderweb,” Ward said. “That’s when the rubber is starting to give in a little bit, it’s normal wear-and-tear.” It’s also a sign that it’s time to go over the roof with a silicone coating, giving you 15 to 20 more years of longevity under warranty. Or, you can silver coat it to extend the life span by three to five years. “That gives the roof a reflective coating so the sun’s rays aren’t eating up the roof as badly,” Ward explained.
• Growth: For roofs, a green tinge can be a sign of algae, mildew or moss, which can eat away at the surface. If you’ve got a metal roof or rubber roof, the growth can be hosed down. Tiled roofs can be rinsed or “tile washed” as well, but that should be done by a professional so as not to damage the surface. Otherwise, “you may be washing off the granules of the asphalt tiles” along with the moss, Ward said.

What are the signs that my roof needs to be replaced?

First, keep in mind the life spans of the roof materials listed above. If your roof is nearing its expiration date, have a contractor check it out. Otherwise, keep your eyes out for the following signs that may indicate it’s time to get a new roof.

• Leaking: If you see damp spots on your ceiling or water starts dripping into your home, there’s a problem up above — namely, a roof leak. In a pinch, for most materials, you can simply replace the section of the roof that’s giving you trouble. But, Germann warned, “Most of the time, it’s just better to replace the whole roof because if one little section is going, that means the rest of the roof is going to go very shortly.” Spears also pointed out that unless the shingles are color-matched, the repair might look “tacky and not very pleasing to the eye.”  
• Spreading shingles: The space between shingles is called a “key,” and when it starts growing, so do your roof woes. “The tell if a shingle roof is starting to deteriorate and it’s time to change is once the keys start spreading,” Ward said. To an outside observer, that might look like the edges of the shingles are curling up, or you might even see loose or missing shingles. One or two can be repaired; more than that and a new roof is needed.
• Light coming into your attic: This can be a sign of a hole or too much space between tiles.
• Grains in your gutters:  If you have asphalt shingles and you see specks in your gutters, that means the shingle granules are starting to fall off, Ward said. 

How can I extend my roof’s life span?

Regular maintenance can often extend a roof’s life span. Make a point to observe your roof every season and see if anything looks off. 

• Clean your gutters biannually: Schedule gutter cleanings in the spring and fall to prevent buildup that might cause leaks.
• Install gutter guards: Gutter guards will keep leaves and debris from building up and prevent squirrels or birds from nesting in your gutters, creating blockages that lead to leaks.
• Schedule regular roof inspections: Consider this part of routine maintenance. A professional will be able to tell if your roof needs silver coating, tile washing, repair or any other service long before you can. Ward and Germann have contracts to check on roofs every three months, but you can also have a roofing contractor check the roof when they come to clean your gutters. Ask your roofing company if they can take aerial pictures with a drone and share anything of concern.

What’s next?

How you care for your roof depends on its material and when it was installed. If you don’t know these variables, call a licensed roofing company for an estimate of its life span. It’s important to anticipate roof repairs so you don’t have to resort to pots and pans to catch rainwater dripping from your ceiling.

You won’t have to worry about your roof often if you schedule routine roof maintenance, such as gutter cleaning and roof inspections. Roof repairs and replacements seem intimidating, and admittedly, they are big projects when they have to happen. Given that a roof keeps you warm, dry and cozy, the fact that you only have to worry about it twice per year when you clean your gutters is a pretty good deal.

If you give your roof the (quite minimal) regular care it deserves, you’ll only have to worry about big roof endeavors every few decades.

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