Climate Stress Reshaping US Roofs, New Study Shows

Heat, humidity and extreme rainfall are shortening roof lifespans across the U.S., a new analysis shows.

Nearmap, a property intelligence provider, issued a report showing that chronic climate stress is accelerating roof deterioration across the nation

The report, How climate stress is quietly reshaping America’s roofs, is based on data from more than 2.8 billion roof images captured in a historical aerial imagery archive. It analyzes roofs across nearly 2,100 U.S. counties.

The research shows relationships between climate conditions and roof longevity. Counties experiencing the largest daily temperature swings have roofs that age roughly 23% faster than those in more stable climates, according to the study.

The report also calls out a shift in the geography of risk. Areas previously considered moderate risk are increasingly experiencing climate conditions associated with accelerated roof wear, the study shows.

Average roof age across the U.S. ranges from 16.2 years in Nevada to 8.9 years in Louisiana, a difference that is likely driven by climate conditions, construction standards, and material choices. However, the climate signal is hard to ignore, according to the study.

“For individual properties, a newer roof is generally lower risk for an insurer. At a regional level, a low average roof age signals that, overall, roofs are being replaced more frequently,” the study states. “A five-year-old roof in Louisiana is not equivalent to one in Nevada. The Louisiana roof is already further through its expected lifespan. Regional patterns add important context, helping insurers distinguish between a roof that’s young because it’s well-maintained and one that’s young because it had to be replaced.”