A Look at the Life Cycle of a Roof
The importance of a roof to your home cannot be understated. Not only does it accomplish the obvious task of keeping the elements out, but it plays a crucial role in protecting your home’s foundation by guiding those same elements away from your exterior walls. With your roof being such an important component of your home, you will want to have the reassurance that your roof is still in the prime of its life. You certainly won’t want the shock of a preventable catastrophe. Let’s take a look at the life cycle of a roof so that you know when to expect to replace it.
Brand New
If you’re within the first year post-installation, you’re still at the beginning of the cycle. There should be little to worry about in terms of your roof failing, with two key exceptions: extreme severe weather and questionable workmanship by unlicensed contractors. Your roof is far too important to your home to entrust the work to anyone other than a licensed expert who will get the job done right.
Years 2-5
In fact, with quality workmanship, you should still be worry free for the first five years of your new roof. If you experience a major storm or a winter with heavy snowfall, it may be worthwhile to have it inspected for peace of mind, but there should be few to no concerns for homeowners through this stage.
Years 6-10
There should still be little to fret over in this phase, though you may want to consider more regular roof inspections. It is in this time period when repairs will become more necessary, and you are much better off catching an issue early than after the fact. Depending on the warranties and insurance you have in place, you may not even need to pay out of pocket for repair work. And even if you do wind up having to cover the costs, that bill will pale in comparison to the bill you’ll have without regular inspections and maintenance. A small amount of vigilance over the life of your roof may help keep a roof over your head, literally.
Years 11-15
If you have not done so at this point, you must begin regular inspections on your roof. If there are repairs needed, schedule them as quickly as you can. The average lifecycle of a roof is fifteen years, and if you would like to meet – or better yet, exceed – that lifecycle, it will be directly related to the care and attention you give it throughout this phase.
Year 16 and Beyond
If your roof has lasted this long, congratulations! Your decision making for your home has left you with an above average roof. Pat yourself on the back, but don’t stop now. If you were doing bi-annual inspections, up them to annual. Check your gutters to make sure they are doing their part in keeping your roof in top form. It was the little things that helped your residential roof last this long, so keep them up!
Trust the Experts
If you are ready for a new roof or have questions on the integrity of your roof, the expert team at MNRC stands ready to help. We have the experience and product expertise to answer all your questions as your dedicated Minnesota roofing contractors.
We focus on developing long-term relationships with our customers so we can provide you with top-tier solutions for both roofing and siding. Over the years, we have received dozens of positive reviews for our commitment to excellent service and support – and we want to help you, too. Contact a friendly roofing contractor today to schedule an inspection.