The dream of owning your own home and a place you can call your space comes with a lot of excitement. Once you get an offer, you naturally can’t wait to close the deal and move in.
But wait! Have you ascertained that the house is in good condition right from the floor to the roof? You need to carry out a thorough inspection of the house, especially the roofing.
How do you do that? First, you need a roof inspection checklist. You don’t want to miss anything, and that’s why a checklist will ensure you leave no stone unturned.
This article includes everything you need to look for in the roof before buying a house. Let’s dive into it!
Begin With Getting All the Basic Information
You’re not going to inspect something that you know nothing about. You can’t just show up at home and begin inspecting the roof without prior knowledge about the structure. Start by asking the seller some basic questions such as the age, warranty, type, and the person who installed the roof.
You need this information for documentation purposes if you need to get an insurance or warranty claim in the future. The information will also help your inspector know whether the roof is good for its age or it’s wearing off at an unexpected rate.
Ensure Detailed Inspection
Before buying a house, you need to hire a roofing contractor to do a thorough and professional inspection. A professional will inspect the roof and advise on measures to take if they notice any roof problems. They’ll even tell you whether the damage means more trouble in the future or if it’s a small issue.
They know how to discover problems like wind-related cracks and clogged gutters. Ensure you work with a trusted roofing specialist to easily discover areas that can be of concern.
Let them show you a roof inspection report and mark areas that require more attention at the end of the work.
Check the Roof Surface
One of the easiest ways to determine if your roof has any damages is to check its surface from the inside and outside. While many roofs will not show signs of damage at a glance, a seriously damaged roof will be easily noticeable just by looking at it.
The surface of the roof entails the shingles and the connecting seams. You can look for cracks and loose or missing shingles. You can also check the shingles are dried out, depressions, or blisters.
Structural Inspection
There are many things that makeup and a roof, and you need to ensure they’re all in good condition before moving in. Fortunately, structural inspection covers every bit of your roof from the shingles to the chimney.
Start by checking for uneven roof places, sagging, and the condition of the gutter system. Inspect the chimney for any crack signs, damaged caps, or crumbling grout. Don’t forget the venting in the attic.
Ensure the venting is done properly as any mistakes can cause heat and moisture buildup leading to faster roof damage. You don’t want to see ice dams forming in your roof during winter, resulting in faster roof damage.
Interior Roof Inspection Checklist
While most of the damages on the roof are visible from outside, it’s essential to check the inside. Checking the interior part of the roof is one way to identify leaks and other structural damages.
Your roofing inspector will look through the attic, ceiling, the interior walls, among other things. Damages or stained ceiling is a clear sign that there are leaks in your roof. You can also notice some signs of rotting or rusting.
Another danger sign only noticeable from the inside is the attic insulation. When you have a damaged roof insulation system, it means that you’re going to spend a lot on power bills. As a first-time homebuyer, these are not the type of problems you want to encounter, hence proper inspection is necessary.
Inspect the Roof Drainage
Most people don’t pay attention to the roof’s drainage, which can be a big problem, especially on rainy days. You need to ensure your roof gutters and the narrow areas are not blocked by any obstacles. You need to ensure the free flow of water without any pooling.
Check problems such as clogged or downspout as this can also interfere with the drainage of your roof. When the standing water backs up on to the roof, it can cause problems to the entire roofing system.
This problem is usually indicated by ponding and slow-draining lines with a blockage in some areas. If you see color changes or stains around the drains, this could also indicate drainage issues.
Check the Field
Another area to check before buying a house is the field area for any cracks and tears. If the house is exposed to debris and dirt, cracks and tears are bound to happen. Cracks and tears are the first signs of structural damage in the roofing system.
If there are no visible signs cracks but the inspector believes there’s an existing leak, you can carry out a flood test. This will help crack down any damages so that you don’t have to spend too much after you’ve bought the house.
Follow This Roof Inspection Checklist Before Purchasing a House
You don’t want to move into your new house and get slapped with extra expenses simply because you didn’t carry out a home inspection beforehand. What you need is a well-detailed roof inspection checklist for first time home buyer.
It’s advisable to contract a professional roofing specialist to do the work for you. A DIY inspection will not do you any good as you might miss out on important points. Contact Fitz Roofing today and schedule a home roofing inspection as soon as possible.
