Home inspections are an integral part of every home or home insurance purchase. Buyers and insurers want the assurance that they aren’t making a financial mistake that could trigger a financial crisis in the future. Older houses have weaker roofing systems that could easily succumb to the lowest of winds and rains. While all roofs aren’t the same, most home inspection roof issues are almost the same. Getting a thorough home roof inspection arms you with essential information to use while negotiating for the best deals.
Roofs are the most neglected parts of the house, despite their usefulness. Roof deficiencies get worse with time, and so, the more they’re ignored, the bigger and costly they become. Getting home roof inspection comes with the benefits of knowing your roof’s current condition and its value.
Roofs should be professionally inspected at least two times a year according to professional roof inspectors and the National Roofing Contractors Association. That though depends on how often your area of residence experiences harsh weather. Roof inspections aim to diagnose and treat early signs of impending issues before they become a threat. According to specialists, most home inspection roof issues could’ve been cheaper if they were discovered and fixed earlier.
Not all roof inspection issues are equal, and so, the kind and quality of care they need differ. Here are the standard home inspection roof issues as per the statistics and data provided by licensed roof inspectors.
Storms are the roof’s greatest enemy. Storms and heavy winds hit the roof’s weakest points, rendering them ineffective over time. Heavy winds coupled with flying projects pose a greater level of risk to your roofs. Some heavy winds carry heavy objects such as branches and limbs that could negatively affect fragile items on your roofs such as your solar panel and network disk.
Another leading cause of main storm damages is hail. While many of the modern roofing materials and structures are hail-resistant, they aren’t hail-proof. It simply means they can resist damage by failure-inducing damages but not all types. Stronger and bigger size hailstones will likely leave your roof weak or even completely damaged.
Rooftop replacement or upgrade does enhance the strength and structural integrity of the roof. However, if you keep on reusing the same rooftop materials and systems, you may end up rendering the mechanical equipment, exhaust vents, and skylights archaic. Poorly conditioned and old roofs should be upgraded using the latest compatible materials.
In many instances, if the loose objects from the abandoned equipment on top of your roof aren’t removed on time, they will damage your roof. Stationary abandoned objects may as well thwart efficient drainage as well as create homes for rodents and birds.
Flashing is your roof’s closed companion and alley for stopping water from leaking into your home’s interior. Flashing is frequently metallic and is mostly installed in the roof valley near the chimney just under the shingles.
Its core purpose is to keep your roof structurally and aesthetically fit by preventing the improper flow of water under the shingles, which could trigger the growth of mold and other moisture-related problems.
Considering its usefulness, the flashing needs to be replaced and upgraded often. As per, it’s the most common issue professional roof inspectors come across when inspecting different types of roofing systems.
Roofing inspection contractors rate wore out shingles as the second most common home inspection roof issue. Roof shingles are designed specially to prevent leakages and improve the visual outlook of homes. Roof shingles are naturally strong and solid enough to serve for decades before they need replacement.
However, once they’ve exhausted most of their useful life, roof shingles will become useless and risky. Old shingles are prone to damage, and so, they can develop issues at any time. If the problems are not diagnosed and fixed on time, they will pose risks of water damage to the homeowners.
Getting roofs inspected often helps to identify any potential or existing issues on your roof shingles, allowing quality time for prompt repairs.
The last most dreaded home inspection roof issue is faulty gutters. The gutter is a common household name, known and correctly understood by many. Gutters aid in streamlining the efficient flow of water from the top of the roof.
When the gutters get clogged or bent, they won’t perform their intended jobs as smoothly and strictly as required. That will often lead to water being trapped on the rooftop, which could lead to water leakages.
Roof inspectors are used to these kinds of home inspection roof issues. And so, they’ve accustomed themselves with the most effective faulty gutter fixing tricks.
We’ve just outlined a number of the typical home inspection roof issues. Roofs having these issues will not pass the roof inspection test. That’s because they don’t meet the specified codes of structural integrity and strength.
So, if your roof has used up most of its useful life, you’ve to get it upgraded or the older sections replaced before you call a roof inspection specialist. If not, the roof may not pass the inspection test, which could delay or even sojourn possible house sales.
Home roof inspections should never be ignored; otherwise, the damages and risks will be appalling. You shouldn’t only conduct these inspections when selling a home or buying an insurance policy. You should do it often, precisely because of the benefit they offer on the health of your house and the safety of your loved ones.
Professional roof inspectors understand from which angle to approach the inspections, so they give a good overview of the current roof’s condition. They will quickly identify any red flags and provide you with the information you need to resolve such issues professionally.
The greatest mistake a homeowner can make is not to forget to inspect their home roofs, but hire the wrong roof inspectors. That’s because they will give fake or even substandard evaluation results, which could put your property and loved ones to a greater level of risk.