If you are on your way to buying a new house or renovating your existing one, it is important to give a good amount of attention to the roof structure and its condition. It is difficult to determine a roof’s actual condition just by looking at its external looks, especially when your roof is dealing with extreme weather conditions. One should contact a roofing contractor and go for a roof inspection to get a real idea of their roof condition.  

If you neglect roof damages, it can cost you a huge amount of cost along with a lot of roof repairs or full replacement of the roof. The best thing you can do is contact a roofing company and get a roof inspection to prevent highly dangerous and costly events in the future. 

A damaged or leaking roof can cause a lot of problems and even make your A/C work overtime. Your roof is one of the most important parts of your home. A well-maintained roof in good repair protects your home from water intrusion, which is why it’s so important to inspect your roof regularly. Use these five tips for how to perform a roof inspection on your own time.

In this blog post, we’ve discussed common roof problems, what an on-site roof inspection includes, the importance of regular roof inspections & how often you should have roof inspections. 

Let’s have a look at some of the most common roof problems: 

Being a roofing contractor for over years now, these are the most common roof problems: 

• Missing shingles
• Plants or moss growth
• Leak or crack in the roof
• Shingles curling or buckling
• Shingle granules in gutters
• Roof sagging or drooping

Having regular roof inspections not only detects roofing problems but also helps you improve the roof life span.      

Now that you know the common roof problems, let’s have a look at what on-site roof inspection includes. 

What does an On-Site Inspection involve?

An on-site roof inspection is a process to make sure that every layer of your roof is installed correctly. An on-site roof inspection involves the examination of:

• The Deck
• A Primer
• The VCL (Vapour Control layer)
• The Insulation (which may be adhered to or mechanically fixed);
• An Underlay
• A Cap sheet 
• Any Trims, and
• Rainwater Outlets and Gutters.

After knowing the common roof problems and what an on-site roof inspection involves, now the next question arises, 

How often should you inspect your roof?

To speak generally, we can say that it is good to have at least one professional inspection once a year. Moreover, contact a roofing company to conduct a roof inspection in the fall before the extreme winter weather arrives, as winter is the time when leaking or drafty roofs start causing damage to your roof. 

Remember, even minor flaws can become a major problem if you neglect them and don’t take preventive measures on time. 

As soon as you see damage on your roof, it’s time to call a roofing contractor and get things repaired at the earliest possible. 

Here are the top reasons to inspect a flat roof regularly: 

•  Weather Damages and Aging of Roof: 

Regardless of the roof type and quality you have, it will face difficult weather conditions like snow storms, hailing, and thunders and thus getting damaged someway or the other. 

Moreover, as your roof ages, its capacity to endure extreme weather will automatically reduce. Some of the most common evidence of weather damage and roof aging are tiny openings on the roof surface leading to water infiltration. 

The best way to prevent or minimize roof damage is to have regular roof inspection services. 

•  Warranty Repairs: 

If you have a warranty for your roof, it is important to know that it will cover only a few specific damages – depending on your warranty type. In such cases, it is important to contact a roofing company, have a roof inspection, and know whether you should file a warranty claim. 

When you file a roof warranty claim, the contractor or manufacturer will visit the site to check if a leak or repair is covered under warranty. Being the owner, you should ensure to keep the warranty documents ready and file the claim on time while maintaining possession.

•  Routine Maintenance Damage: 

Sometimes when executing technical maintenance on air conditions or other home systems, it is very common to get roof damage because of that. 

By having a roof inspection, you can easily detect these issues, and a good roofing contractor will also help you with repairs like sealing the mechanical access panels on roofs, cleaning up the debris on your roof, or any other repair depending on the damage. 

•  Storm Damage: 

As the name suggests, such damages occur because of high winds, hail, and other weather actions that can cause water infiltration. In such cases, it’s best to get in touch with a roofing company and go for a roof inspection to prevent any further damage.

•  Drainage: 

Drainage is one of the significant aspects of roof performance. A water-logged roof highers the chances of leaks and moisture penetration, and thus it is important to have a well-drained roof by removing all the objects like leaves, trash, and debris. 

Many people overlook roofs’ drainage, leading to serious, long-term, and costly consequences. As a roofing contractor, we can not emphasize enough prioritizing regular roof inspections to avoid expensive future costs. 

•  Leak Assessment: 

One of the most common triggers leading to roof inspection is the leaking problem after heavy rains. Leaking in the roof can be signs of serious roof problems such as rotting wood, mold, corrosion, or wet insulation that may have developed over a period of time. 

Contacting a roofing contractor for roof inspection is the quickest step you can take to stop further damage. 

•  Preventing Damage Even Before it Occurs: 

Lastly, regular roof inspection helps prevent damage even before it occurs. There can also be some other problems with your roof other than leaking – structural damage being one of them. 

Having regular roof inspections not only helps you detect the problem at an earlier stage but also helps you maintain the quality of your roof and add more years to its life span.

Additionally, when you opt for a regular roof inspection, you can learn what small repairs need to be made to make sure your roof withstands worse weather conditions. 

•  Roof Cleaning

Roof inspection regularly will draw attention towards regular roof cleaning. Debris and losing trash along with causing wind damage may also wash to low points on gutters or drains.

• Vegetation Damage

The truth is, that vegetation may grow on a roof, especially when the gutter or any other low area is not regularly cleaned. Besides, birds too may nest on a roof. Besides, they deposit seeds as well that result in vegetation. A gutter is a vegetation growth source owing to the collection of moisture, seeds, and dirt. Besides, roots may penetrate via the roof membrane, thereby creating leaks. Such damages can be pervasive and significant. Inspection regularly can prevent major damages.

• Check for Damaged, Missing, or Old Shingles

Missing or damaged shingles can also let water seep through your roof. If you have wooden shingles or wood shake shingles, inspect them for signs of dry rot, either from the ground or from a ladder (don’t walk on a wooden shingle or shake roof). Asbestos, slate, or clay tile roofs can suffer from breakage, so look for cracked, chipped, broken, or altogether missing shingles. If you’re performing a metal roof inspection, check for signs of corrosion, rust, stress wrinkling, or other wear.

If you have asphalt shingles, check for signs of wear as you clean your gutters. Asphalt contains gravel-like granules. As the shingles age, these granules will break free and find their way into your gutters. If you see a lot of asphalt granules in your gutters, check the roof carefully for damaged or missing shingles.

Regular On-site Inspection: A Win-Win Situation for The Clients and Contractors: 

With regular on-site roof inspections, clients can get have confidence and peace of mind about their flat roof installation regularly inspected by a specialist during every stage of work. Moreover, the warranty is key to the success of a flat roof installation or repair, so it must be genuine and backed by a credible and solvent roofing contractor with the base of good practice. 

When a client has regular on-site roof inspections, it confirms that their warranty will be met, and they won’t need to call for complaints while saving them a lot of future costs. 

On the other hand, the regular on-site inspection also favors contractors as they can detect design issues in the making phase itself. As flat roofs are sealed in nature, if we discover it at a later stage, it can turn out to be a serious and costly mistake. 

By collaborating with a roofing company at the early stage of construction, you can avoid a lot of mistakes and achieve the most robust and detailed roof possible. 

Conclusion: 

Not having regular roof inspections is the deadliest mistake you can make, resulting in more trouble and costs than you may have imagined. Whether you have major roof problems or not, it is always advisable to get a roof inspection done to secure your warranty and prevent major damage.