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Roofing Inspections, Roofing Product Sources, Asphalt Shingles, Slates, Installation, Defects, Repairs - Articles for home buyers, home owners, home inspectors InspectAPedia®  -     Asphalt roof inspection, failures, repair, product defects Slate & Tile roof inspection, defects, repair, maintenance Metal roof inspection, defects, repair, maintenance Low slope or BUR roofing systems, inspection, diagnosis, repair, maintenance Roofing - how to choose a roofing contractor Fire retardant roof plywood failures

This website provides un-biased articles about many common roofing materials, installations, inspection, defects, roofing repairs, and products.

Example topics include asphalt roof failures including thermal splitting and other defects, causes and types of asphalt shingle roof leaks, shingle blow-offs and wind damage, shingle cracks, blisters, stains, thermal splitting, and other damage, Fire retardant plywood roof sheathing defects, How to find and choose a roofing contractor, How to inspect roofs, Roofing product failures, class actions, warranty claims, Roofing repair methods, Roofing product sources for Residential and light commercial roofs, Slate roof inspection and repair methods.

© Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links show where you are in our document & website.

Quick List of Typical Roof Costs, Life Expectancy, Characteristics

Here is a quick comparison of common roofing materials. Our roofing inspection, diagnosis, repair and installation articles listed at left and below provide roof inspection, roof leak or problem diagnosis, roof installation, and roof repair information as well as details about the factors that affect the life of any roof. We include roof warranty and claim information and links to roofing product sources.

• Asbestos cement roofing shingles, now replaced with fiber cement roof shingles are similar to slate in durability and costs - see slate roofing below. See ASBESTOS CEMENT & FIBER CEMENT ROOFING and also see CORRUGATED ROOFING.
• Asphalt roofing shingles have an installed cost (including labor) of $100 - $350 per square. (one square covers 100 sq.ft. of roof surface) Asphalt shingles have a typical life expectancy of 15-25 years, with some warranties extending up to 45 years, and asphalt roof shingles typically weigh 225-385 pounds per square.
• Clay tile roofing material and installation labor are more expensive than alternate materials, but the material has a life expectancy of up to 350 years where high quality vitreous tiles are used. Clay tiles are heavy, weighing between 850 and 1,700 pounds per square. See CLAY TILE ROOFING.
• Wood roofing shingles material cost $150-200 per square, with an installed cost of $130 - $160 / square. Wood shingle roofs have a typical life expectancy of 10-40 years, and weigh 300-400 pounds per square. See WOOD SHAKE & SHINGLE ROOFING.
• Metal roofing material costs $35 - 250 per square (wide range because of wide range of types of metal roofing), with an installed cost of $35 - $400 / square, a life of 15-40 years or more (a roof kept properly coated can last longer), and weigh 50 - 270 pounds / square. A high end aluminum metal roof may cost $800 - $1000 / square. Also see CORRUGATED ROOFING.
• Slate roofing has an installed cost of $900 - $1,000 per square, has a life expectancy of 30 - 100 years (or 300 or more in some cases), and weighs 500-1,000 pounds/square. Synthetic slates cost less, typically $700 -$900 per square. See SLATE ROOF INSPECTION & REPAIR.
• Membrane roofing such as modified bitumen, rubber, or built up roofing using tar and gravel have a life expectancy of 20 - 40 years, varying significantly depending on materials and workmanship, and may cost $750 to $1000 per square. Also see FLAT ROOF MOISTURE & CONDENSATION.

1. The cost of roofing installations varies considerably by geographic area as well as material selected, pitch and height of roof, and roof shape or design complexity. Roofing cost estimates do not necessarily include the cost of any necessary structural or roof decking repairs that may be needed when re-roofing, nor do they include the cost of removing and disposing of old roofing materials.
2. All of these roofing materials have a fire rating of A except wood shingles which, if treated with a fire retardant, are fire rated B. Un-treated wood roof shingles have no fire rating and are not permitted by code in some areas. A class A fire rated wood shingle roof can be installed using special procedures and materials that include plywood and gypsum board.
3. The life expectancy of any roof depends significantly on other factors besides its composition, including the installation workmanship, the condition of the roof decking, and proper roof ventilation. For best life expectancy, fiberglass based asphalt shingles should meet standard ASTM D-3462 and organic mat based asphalt roof shingles should meet standard ASTM D-225. Architectural asphalt roof shingles can be expected to last longer than less-costly three-tab asphalt roof shingles.
4. See "Choosing Roofing" in Fine Homebuilding Magazine (1995 data shows relative costs; absolute prices will have changed).

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Technical Reviewers & References

• InspectAPedia.com^® - Daniel Friedman
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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR
CERTIFICATIONS for ROOFING CONTRACTORS
CHOOSING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR
ASBESTOS CEMENT & FIBER CEMENT ROOFING
ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES
ATTIC CONDENSATION CAUSE & CURE
BUILT UP ROOFS
CERTIFICATIONS for ROOFING CONTRACTORS
CHIMNEY INSPECTION & REPAIRS
CHOOSING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR
CLAY TILE ROOFING
FIRE RETARDANT PLYWOOD
HEAT TAPES & CABLES on Roofs for Ice Dams
INSULATION & VENTILATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT
LOW SLOPE ROOFING MATERIALS
MASONITE WOODRUF FIBERBOARD ROOFING
MEMBRANE & SINGLE PLY ROOFS
METAL ROOFING TYPES
MODIFIED BITUMEN ROOFING
ROOF INSPECTION SAFETY & LIMITS
ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS
ROOF VENTING ENERGY SAVING DETAILS
SLATE ROOF INSPECTION & REPAIR
SOD ROOFING
SIDING WOOD
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on Building Exteriors
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on Roofs
STANDARDS for ROOFING
STONE ROOFING
THATCH ROOFING
THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS
THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS
THERMAL MASS in UPSTAIRS
TILE ROOFING
WARRANTIES for ROOF SHINGLES
WOOD SHAKE & SHINGLE ROOFING
WORKMANSHIP & WIND DAMAGE

• "Choosing Roofing," Jefferson Kolle, January 1995, No. 92, Fine Homebuilding, Taunton Press, 63 S. Main St., PO Box 5506, Newton CT 06470 - 800-888-8286 - see http://www.taunton.com/FineHomebuilding/ for the magazine's website and for subscription information.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• Masonite Woodruf® Roofing or Masonite OmniWood® Siding Lawsuit Settlement Notice - PDF file
• ...

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