is it just me or are roofs wearing out faster these days?

Yeah, you're spot-on about the bathroom fan fiasco - seen enough moldy attics to last a lifetime. Roofing materials are definitely hit-or-miss lately too. And don't get me started on nail placement...some crews must think they're playing darts up there.

"Roofing materials are definitely hit-or-miss lately too."

Gotta say, I'm not totally convinced it's just the materials. Last summer, I helped my neighbor redo his roof - he splurged on some premium shingles, thinking they'd last forever. Fast forward a year, and he's already patching leaks. Turns out the issue was ventilation and insulation, not the shingles themselves. Sometimes it's less about the darts game up top and more about what's happening underneath...though I've seen some pretty questionable nail jobs myself.

"Turns out the issue was ventilation and insulation, not the shingles themselves."

Good point here. I've noticed a lot of folks overlook attic ventilation entirely, assuming premium shingles alone will do the trick. Had a similar experience myself - replaced my roof twice in ten years before realizing inadequate airflow was cooking the shingles from underneath. Once I addressed that, even mid-grade materials held up fine. Sometimes it's less about brand quality and more about proper installation and underlying structure...though yeah, some materials lately do seem questionable.

"Sometimes it's less about brand quality and more about proper installation and underlying structure..."

Exactly this. Reminds me of a job I did a few years back - homeowner insisted on top-tier shingles, but their attic was basically sealed shut. Tried explaining the ventilation issue, but they weren't convinced until their neighbor (with cheaper shingles but proper airflow) had zero issues after a nasty summer. Makes me wonder if people are just getting bad advice from sales reps or DIY videos these days...anyone else run into that?

Yeah, totally agree with you there. I once got talked into these fancy shingles by a sales guy, but turns out my attic insulation was garbage...lesson learned the hard (and pricey) way. Guess it's easy to overlook the basics sometimes, huh?