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You can walk on a TPO roof, but you should only do so when necessary and wear footwear that’s less likely to puncture the surface. If you anticipate needing to frequently walk on your TPO roof, reinforce walkways to protect against punctures. TPO roofing can also be slippery, so in most cases, you’ll want to leave walking on it to the pros.

The material and frequency of maintenance are the biggest factors for determining the longevity of your shingles, not the color. For instance, luxury asphalt shingles can last 30 years or even longer, while slate tiles have an impressive lifespan ranging from 75 to 100 years. That said, lighter-colored shingles can help reduce your energy costs in the summertime.

A standard roof can hold a live load of about 20 pounds per square foot. However, gable roofs often have steeper-than-average slopes, so calculating their weight capacity can be challenging. If the slope of your gable roof is greater than 4:12, the live load needs to be decreased to allow for a larger dead load. Ask your roofer exactly how much weight your roof can support.

There are several pros and cons of flat roofs. One disadvantage of flat roofs is that you lose potential attic space because it's flat. Flat roofs tend to pool water and because they lack an angle, any leak in the roof—usually due to a bad seal—has the potential to let in a lot of water. They don’t work well in climates with snow. Flat roofs are also structurally weaker than sloped roofs.