What Is A Roof Inspection and Why It Is Important
Admin • July 30, 2018
What is a roof inspection and why it is important
Let’s be honest! When was the last time you did a roof inspection of your house? When it comes to home inspection, people tend to forget about the roof. However, the most common causes of house damage come from leaky roofs and flooded basements. For this reason, a roof inspection should be done at least twice a year, and of course, it would be much better if it was carried out by a certified roof inspector. A professional inspection will help to uncover any missing, cracked, or aging shingles, clogged gutters, loose roof seams, and other roof problems. It will also help you understand whether you need a new roof or some repair works will be enough to extend the life of your roof for years to come.
Roof inspection checklist
When you hire a roofing company for an inspection, its roofing experts usually use a checklist to ensure they never miss anything. Any commercial or residential roof inspection checklist includes the following items:
Broken or missing shingles
A great number of residential roofs in the USA are made from asphalt shingles that become brittle as they age. It happens because of extreme temperatures, exposure to direct sunlight and other unfavorable weather conditions. A sharp wind can easily crack, break and tear off brittle shingle pieces. In some cases, entire shingles get blown off the roofs. Though, it may also be caused by poor installation. If this happens to be your case, your warranty can be voided, and a roof replacement might be in order.
Mold, moss or mildew
Moss, mold, and mildew are the signs of an aging roof. They create patches on your roof and make it look ugly. These three need moisture to grow and thrive, and they also hold moisture. The raised masses that mildew, moss, and mold create, can hinder water runoff. Therefore, the moisture accumulated on your roof can severely damage or even destroy your roof shingles.
Buckles, blisters or ripples
Physical changes, blisters, or buckles can indicate various roof problems. Among them are improper installation, old shingles, inadequate ventilation, wet underlayment, damaged sheathing, and others. A deteriorating and old roof makes a roof deck vulnerable. In its term a damaged roof deck may lead to an expensive roof replacement.
Roofs with multiple shingle layers
If your roof has several layers of shingles, there is a high probability of roof damage that you can’t even see. Roofs with multiple shingle layers are not properly ventilated that’s why moisture and heat can be retained under the shingles. Also, the new shingles installed over the old ones can create uneven areas which later can result in premature failure of the new roof.
Interior leaks
If there are interior leaks, most likely your roof require repairing or replacement. Interior leaks indicate that water has penetrated your roofing materials which means that there is damage to the roof shingles, decking or both.
No drip edge
A roof without drip edge means that the wooden fascia always remains unprotected from water runoff or wind-driven rain. Thus, your roof may have rotten fascia because of penetrating water. That’s how you can get shingles curled at the edges.
Improper ventilation
Improper ventilation is a roof’s worst enemy. When hot air coming from inside a building heats the roof deck, the shingles age, and aging causes them to curl and brittle. Poorly ventilated attics can also lead to ice dams in gutters that might cause moisture to get underneath your roof shingles. That moisture can make the roof deck rot.
During your roof inspection, roofing experts will also check if there are eave vents, ridge vents, exhaust vents, and mechanical ventilation systems. They are all important as they help air to get through attic spaces.
Residential and commercial roof inspection in Louisville, KY
If you live in Kentucky and need roof inspection services for your commercial or residential property, contact Home Run Improvement. Our experts will thoroughly inspect your roof and find out what problems it might have. Having taken a good look at your property, we will come up with our roof maintenance recommendations. Give us a call at 502-888-1396 to schedule a consultation and find out how much a roof inspection cost.
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