The Need for Roof Inspection
You should make a roof inspection of your home a couple times a year. Or, if you’re physical unable to get up on the roof or feel unsafe up there, you should send somebody else up there to do it for you.
When you get up close, you may be able to see signs of damage, cracked or curling shingles for example, that weren’t visible from farther away. That in turn may enable you to make repairs before small problems develop into big expensive ones.
But you aren’t an expert, and a certified roof inspector can find problems you weren’t able to pinpoint. Such an inspection is an indispensable part of almost any real estate sale. Similarly, a professional roofer will need to make a thorough roof inspection as a preliminary to giving you an estimate for a job.
It’s helpful for you to know what goes on during a professional roof inspection. It will help you see that the inspector is doing a thorough, competent job and also help you make sense of the findings when they’re reported to you. Here, then, is a guide to what goes into a roof inspection.
The Roof Inspection: Leaks and the Likelihood of Future Leaks
This, of course, is the most obvious thing to check for when evaluating the integrity of a roof. Leaks make it unpleasant to be in a house when it’s raining, and the water coming in can damage your possessions and structural elements of the house. Over time, the damage gets worse and worse until the homeowner is facing huge repair costs. Finding future leaks may seem trickier than hunting down existing ones, but shifting of cracking shingles are a pretty good clue that leaks are on he way.
The Roof Inspection: Insulation and Ventilation
A roof needs good insulation and ventilation. When it doesn’t have them, it costs the homeowner money. If the insulation is inadequate, the house responds to changing weather in a less than optimal manner, and cooling and heating costs go up. Poor ventilation lets in moisture, and in time, the moisture can damage your possessions and the structure of the house itself just like the more obvious water admitted by a leak. So a certified roof inspector will be sure to check the insulation and ventilation.
The Roof Inspection: Moisture, Mildew, and Mold
A competent professional roof inspection will check for the presence of moisture in the roof even in the absence of any perceptible leaks or ventilation issues. The inspector will check for mildew and mold as well. Moisture gives rise to mildew and provides the proper conditions for the growth and spread of mold. Mold can spoil the appearance of the part of the home where it’s flourishing, but the consequences of its presence can be even worse than that. Some mold is hazardous to your health. It can bring on allergenic reactions and respiratory distress, and mold mitigation can be involved and expensive once the nasty stuff has taken hold.
The Roof Inspection: Prior Roofing Maintenance
What roof maintenance and roof repair have taken place in the past? Do you know? Even if you do, do you know if this work was done properly? One benefit of a thorough, competent professional roof inspection is that it will tell you. The certified roof inspector will check on the maintenance of chimneys, eaves, and any additions that may have been made to the roof.
If you have a house that’s in need of a professional roof inspection, please get in touch with the experts at Stay Dry Roofing and make an appointment today. We provide comprehensive roofing services throughout Indianapolis and the Midwest, and those services include free inspections.