How long should a roof last in Western Washington?

Summary:

Jeremiah says a roof lasts considerably less time in Western Washington than in Eastern Washington, attributing the difference to the highly variable weather west of the mountains. He gives springtime as an example, when temperatures can drop below freezing overnight and reach around sixty degrees during the day. That swing damages building materials, roofing in particular. The region also sees repeated cycles of rain followed by drying, which causes shingles to expand and contract and produces premature granule loss. Accounting for workmanship and the difference between a builder grade system and a genuine replacement system, he puts the typical lifespan in Washington State at fifteen to twenty years, which he notes is not long given the amount homeowners spend on a roof. His conclusion is that proper installation is the single biggest component of longevity, followed by using quality materials designed to perform in the Pacific Northwest.

Answer:

Well, a roof will last in Western Washington far less than it will in Eastern Washington. And I say that because this side of the mountains we have some of the most bipolar weather. For example, springtime in Washington. Beautiful, beautiful weather. However, when it drops below freezing at night, and then during the day it's getting up to sometimes sixty degrees, that can cause a lot of damage to any type of building material, especially roofing. So we get a lot of rain here, and it will rain and it will dry out. That will cause again the shingles to expand and contract, expand and contract, causing premature granule loss to everything. Typical life expectancy, and this is going off workmanship, this is going off it being a builder grade system versus an actual replacement system, typical lifespan in Washington State would be anywhere from fifteen to twenty years. Which isn't a long time when you're spending thousands of dollars on a roof. So the most important thing is to ensure workmanship, that the roof is installed properly. That is the biggest component. And then the materials that you're using are good quality materials designed to last in the Pacific Northwest.