Shingles

What Kind of Shingles Do You Have?
Many newer homes in warmer climates such as California make use of tile roofs, whose shingles are made of a hard tile-like material that resists warping. Such roofs typically last about the same time as a traditional asphalt shingle roof, but replacing a cracked or broken tile shingle is more elaborate and you will probably want to hire a pro specializing in tile roofs, especially since walking on tiles requires know-how as they are not flexible and are prone to cracking under weight. Therefore, issues we cover in this section refer to the more standard roof.

Shingles Showing Their Wear?
The typical asphalt shingle roof is composed of pieces of fiberglass coated in asphalt and then embedded with colored mineral particles. An asphalt shingle roof can be reasonably expected to last from 15 to 25 years (provided it was properly installed and your local weather isn’t usually catastrophic). After a time, however, shingles will start to erode, leaving bald spots or mineral deposits in your gutters. These are the first signs that your roof is going, and should not be ignored.

If your shingles are starting to give, take a look at our fixing shingles article for information.

For more information on shingles, talk to other DIYers in our Roofing forums!