The life expectancy of a PVC (Poly-Vinyl-Chloride) roof is 20 to 30 years, with an average of 25 years. The roof life can be shortened or extended outside of this range due variables like severity of climate, quality of installation, number of roof penetrations, maintenance (specifically clearing of organic debris accumulation on the roof), providing adequate roof slope to prevent ponding, and level of foot traffic on roof.

   PVC is popular in our area for roof-overs (new roof applied directly over existing roof) of mobile homes and some installers offer a “lifetime” warranty on the roof. But the warranty is for defects in manufacturing or installation of the material, not for failure due to normal deterioration over time.

    The roof is often white for best energy efficiency, but the one shown above has an imprint to mimic a shingle roof.

    Here’s a bar graph that compares PVC life expectancy to other types of roof coverings.

    Go to our blog post What is the average lifespan of the parts of a house? for rating of other house components. 

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  To learn more about roofs and attics, see these other blog posts:

• Why is my roof sheathing sagging between the trusses?

• Why is granule loss a problem for an asphalt shingle roof? 

• What are the mistakes to avoid when doing attic improvements?

• What causes roof shingles to curl up at corners?  

• What is "ponding" on a flat roof?

• Is an attic required to have a light by the building code? 

• How can I inspect my roof for hurricane damage?

• Why is premature curl of roof shingles a problem?

• How can I tell if a roof has more than one layer of shingles? 

• What are the common problems with attic insulation? 

• What is the life expectancy of an asbestos cement shingle roof? 

• What's the average lifespan of a roof?

• Why is it a mistake to replace a roof and not replace its flashings? 

• Why is there no attic access hatch in the house?

• What is the building coe requirement for an attic access hatch, scuttle, or door? 

• Does a roof with multiple layers of shingles last longer?

• What can I do to prevent roof leaks?

• Are roof trusses better than roof rafters (stick framing)? 

• Why is a popped nail in a shingle roof a problem? How do I fix it?

• How can I tell if the house needs a new roof?  

• Why does my homeowner's insurance want a roof inspection?

• What are the hazards to avoid when going into an attic? 

     Visit our ROOF AND ATTIC page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.