How long does a roof last?

How long does a roof last? is the question on this page, and the ranges below tell you what is normal; a quote tells you what yours costs. Call (855) 812-6217 during business hours with your ZIP code and the words "how long does a roof last?", and we match the job with licensed roofers near you. Quotes cost nothing and you hire only if you want to.

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How long does a roof last? Asphalt shingles last 15 to 30 years, metal 45 to 100, by Nationwide's list. Natural slate can last 150 to 200 years, This Old House says.

June's three-tab roof went on 19 years ago. She has not had a leak, but her neighbors are all reroofing.

How long does a roof last, by material

Expected life by material, checked October 2026
Material	Years	Source
Three-tab asphalt	about 20	Owens Corning
Architectural asphalt	about 30	Owens Corning
Asphalt shingles, overall	15 to 30	Nationwide
Cedar shingles	20 to 30	Nationwide
Metal	45 to 100	Nationwide
Rubber (flat)	up to 50	Nationwide
Natural slate	150 to 200	This Old House

June's three-tab roof is near the 20-year mark Owens Corning gives. Sources: Nationwide, Owens Corning and This Old House.

Signs you need a new one

Granules collecting in gutters. Owens Corning calls this a sign of granule loss.
Shingles curling at the edges or cracking across.
Dark streaks or moss that keep coming back.
Light through the attic boards, or stains on the ceiling.
A roofline that dips between rafters.

The granule sign is on the Owens Corning replacement guide.

What shortens how long a roof lasts

Heat bakes the oils out of asphalt, so a hot attic ages shingles from below. Hail knocks off granules. Overhanging trees hold moisture and drop branches.

Small parts fail first. This Old House notes that rubber pipe boots crack after about 12 years in the sun, well before the shingles go. See its leak repair guide.

What an inspection costs

Angi puts a roof inspection at $75 to $1,200, depending on size, pitch and type. Many roofers inspect for free when they are quoting a job. An inspection tells June how many years she has left.

Prices are from Angi's inspection cost guide. More on our roof inspection page. If it is time, price it on the roofing calculator.

Questions people ask

How often should a roof be replaced?

When it reaches the end of its material’s life or leaks in more than one place. For asphalt that is usually 15 to 30 years.

How long do shingles on a roof last?

Owens Corning gives three-tab asphalt about 20 years and architectural about 30. Heat and poor attic venting shorten both.

Will insurance cover a 25 year old roof?

Often only at actual cash value, which pays little on an old roof. Some insurers will not write a new policy on it at all without an inspection.

How long does a roof last in texas?

Texas heat and hail push roofs toward the short end of their range. An asphalt roof there often needs replacing sooner than the same roof up north.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

What to do now

Run the calculator with your own footprint, slope and material, and write down low, likely and high.
Call (855) 812-6217 with your ZIP code and the likely number, or send the job below. The Roof Cost Guide team answers during business hours and matches it with licensed roofers near you.
Compare three written quotes line by line against your band before you sign anything.

Talk to a local roofer

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Outside business hours, send the quote form and a roofer calls you back.

Three local quotes, one request

Send the how long does a roof last? job with your ZIP code, roof size and the material you want. Up to three licensed roofers near you quote the same job, and we send your details to them and no one else. Quotes cost nothing and you hire only if you want to.