Some types of roofing can last for hundreds of years, such as clay tiles and wood or slate shingles, but the common asphalt shingle is only designed to last about 20 years. Some manufacturers offer lifetime warranties on shingles, but these types will still need to be replaced after about 80 years. Additionally, a lifetime warranty on shingles doesn’t mean they won’t need repairs or replacement before the warranty expires; a warranty simply protects consumers from defects that happen normally in the manufacturing process. These warranties typically cover the cost of repair and replacement parts when shingles are damaged by the normal causes of wear and tear, such as seasonal temperature changes, rain, hail, ice, UV light, moss and algae. There is little a homeowner can do to prevent these causes of erosion in their shingles, but by scheduling regular inspections with a Charleston roofing contractor, leaks and other issues can be detected before they become major problems.
The two biggest causes of shingle wear are storm runoff and temperatures rising and falling.