When you go to purchase a home, you’re going to want to get a roof inspection performed. This will help to identify any issues the roof may possess and give you a good idea of the age of the roofing materials. When you get the results of your inspection, there are five main things that the inspection can reveal about the roof.
Worn Shingles
The most common problem that roof inspectors may find with a home is the shingles are highly worn. This means that they’re near the end of their life. Shingles, on average, need to be replaced every 20 to 50 years, depending on the type of shingle used. A roof replacement can be expensive. Most range anywhere from $5,000 to $12,000 depending on the roofing materials used and the contour of your roof.
Ice Dams
In the wintertime, your roof can get ice caused by the buildup of snow. When the ice forms at the edge of your roof, this can lead to an ice dam. The ice dam will, essentially, stop all the rest of the snow and ice from being able to drain off of the side of the house. This can create pits in the shingles and damage the underlayment boards of the roof.
Missing Shingles
There are many times when you’re unable to see the entirety of the roof. That is unless you’re standing up on it walking around. A residential roofing inspector will climb up on the roof and inspect every inch of it. This can reveal missing shingles around tough-to-see parts of the home.
Inadequate Flashing
For vents and chimneys that are in your roof, you’ll need to have a metal flashing material around them. This helps to deflect water towards the existing shingles so that it doesn’t seep down into the underlayment wood of the roof. When this flashing is missing or inadequately placed, it can result in damage to your roof.
Improper Gutter System
As part of your roof inspection, they’ll also take a look at the gutter system on your home. The gutter system needs to be properly installed to remove water from the roof of your home to out away from it. When there are missing segments, improper positioning, or other problems with the gutter system, it can cause damage to the roof.
Having a roof inspection performed is a necessity whenever you’re buying a home. It can reveal when you’re having problems like the five above. This will allow you to have the problems remedied before you purchase the home, saving you a lot of upfront cash.
