Roofing guide
How long do roofs last in Arizona heat?
Tile, underlayment, shingle, and foam, with the ranges local roofers report and why Phoenix is harder on roofs.
In the Phoenix area, local roofers commonly report that concrete tile lasts 40 to 50 years or more, the underlayment beneath it about 15 to 25 years, and asphalt shingles about 15 to 20 years. A spray foam roof lasts as long as its coating is recoated. Heat and UV shorten roof life here. These are reported ranges, not guarantees.
TL;DR
Arizona roofs die from the sun. Tile outlives everything, but the underlayment under it does not. Shingles go faster here than in cooler states.
Foam lasts as long as you keep the coating up.
- Concrete tile: 40 to 50 years or more; clay often longer (Azul Roofing)
- Underlayment under tile: about 15 to 25 years (local roofers)
- Asphalt shingles: about 15 to 20 years in Phoenix (Phoenix Roofing and Repair)
- Foam: indefinite with recoats; the coating is what wears (West Roofing Systems)
- Inspect at 10 to 15 years and after every big storm
Why Phoenix is hard on roofs
Heat and UV do the damage. Materials dry out, shrink, and crack. Then monsoon storms, which run June 15 to September 30, drive rain into the cracks.
Roofs here see the worst of both.
Tile roofs
Azul Roofing reports tile roofs in Arizona last 40 to 50 years, with clay often exceeding 75 years. The tile is rarely the problem.
The underlayment under the tile is. Azul Roofing puts its life at 15 to 20 years. A Phoenix roofer on r/Roofing puts a single layer at 20 to 25 years.
Either way, a tile roof usually needs new underlayment once or twice in the tile's life.
- Signs: leaks in several rooms, crumbling underlayment at the eave, roof past 15 years
Asphalt shingle roofs
Phoenix Roofing and Repair reports asphalt shingles run about 15 to 20 years in Phoenix. Shingles lose granules, dry, curl, and crack in the heat. Monsoon wind then tears the weakened edges.
- Signs: granules in the gutters, curling edges, bald or cracked shingles, missing tabs after wind
Flat and foam roofs
West Roofing Systems states a spray foam roof that is recoated when its coating wears can keep going without replacing the foam. The coating is the wear item. In Phoenix sun it wears faster than in most places.
See our foam recoat guide.
- Signs: chalking, thin spots, cracks, exposed foam, ponding water
How to stretch any roof's life
- Get it inspected at 10 to 15 years, then every few years
- Inspect after every big storm
- Keep valleys, scuppers, and drains clear
- Fix small leaks and slipped tiles right away
- Recoat foam before the foam is exposed
- Keep foot traffic off tile
Sources
- Azul Roofing, How Long Will a Tile Roof Last in Arizona: https://www.azulroof.com/blog/how-long-will-a-tile-roof-last-in-arizona
- Phoenix Roofing and Repair, How Long Does a Roof Last in Arizona? (By Material): https://phoenixroofingandrepair.com/roofing-guides/how-long-does-roof-last-arizona/
- r/Roofing, Underlayment question on tile roof in Phoenix: https://www.reddit.com/r/Roofing/comments/1945mb0/underlayment_question_on_tile_roof_in_phoenix/
- West Roofing Systems, How Long Does a Spray Foam Roof Last?: https://www.westroofingsystems.com/how-long-does-a-spray-foam-roof-last
- National Weather Service, Arizona monsoon season dates: https://www.weather.gov/fgz/monsooninfo
Written by the 10X Roofing Advantage team, Glendale, AZ. Reviewed by {{REVIEWER}}. Published {{PUBLISHED}}. Last updated {{UPDATED}}. 10X Roofing Advantage is licensed under Arizona ROC #355299 and has roofed in Phoenix for 20 years.