A new shingle roof for your Birmingham home is an expensive investment, even with the best financing terms. You are not likely to treat your roof the way some people treat their car, replacing it every two to five years. You expect shingle roofing to last a long time, but how long? And, how can you help it last?
The Parts of a Shingle Roof Affect Aging
A high-quality roof job, such as anyone done by Yellowhammer, begins not with the top layer, the asphalt shingle, but deep beneath it. A roof has parts, like any complex system in your Birmingham home:
- Rafters—the wood framing members that provide your home’s pitch, or roof angle
- Deck—the oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood that supports the shingles
- Underlayment—the felt, paper, or other material that adds water resistance
- Shingles—which themselves have starter courses, tabs, ridge vents, and ridge shingles
- Flashing and Drip Edge—metal pieces that conduct water off the roof
- Gutters—to carry roof runoff away from your foundation
When Yellowhammer removes your old asphalt shingles and discovers major defects in the underlayment or deck, we will consult you on your next step and suggest new materials. Just slapping new shingles on over the flaws will cut shingle life significantly, because the entire roofing system is compromised. Solid decking and underlayment can extend the working life and water resistance of asphalt shingles by many years.
Who Installs It?
Yellowhammer Roofing is an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, so we can tap into the highest levels of warranties:
- System Protection Roofing Limited Warranty
- Preferred Protection Roofing System Limited Warranty
- Platinum Protection Roofing System Limited Warranty
With all three of these powerful warranties, your roof has a non-prorated period of 15 to 50 years! This includes labor to repair defective materials.
Okay, So How Long?
A high-quality three-tab shingle, such as any manufactured by Owens Corning, can last for decades. This is astounding, considering that asphalt shingles are among the least expensive materials for your Birmingham roof. Your roof may not last 50 years due to other conditions:
- Strong Sunlight—ultraviolet light degrades the asphalt
- High Winds—loosens granules, causes uplift
- Repeated Exposure to Heavy Rains
Due Diligence
Keep your asphalt shingle roofing maintained and in good repair, and it can last several decades. Shingles may be pretty easy to maintain, but they are not maintenance free. Keep an eye out for signs of any deterioration, such as the small spaces between tabs starting to widen, cracked caulking, or uplifting nails. You will get a lot more life out of your roof by taking good care of it.
Yellowhammer provides a maintenance program for Birmingham residents. If interested, contact Yellowhammer Roofing today, and also sign up for a free inspection of your roof.
