If you’re wondering “what should I lookout for during a roof inspection?” Let Louisiana Roof Crafters help you out. Many of us either fail to see how critical roof maintenance is or ignore it completely. Indeed, people tend to put off doing necessary roof inspections until it is too late.
But it is necessary to perform regular inspections if you want your roof to last as long as possible and avoid expensive repairs. At the least, you should get your roof inspected every three years and right after a storm!
However, whether this is your first roof inspection, or you have put it off, you must know some critical factors.
How Much Time Does a Roof Inspection Require?
Typically, a comprehensive roof inspection takes around an hour. However, this time frame varies widely depending on factors including roof size, material, and pitch.
Using drones has become commonplace for roof inspections recently. For example, some roofing companies report savings of 30-40 minutes for each inspection, as a result.
On the other hand, scheduling the inspection may take some time if your contractor is particularly busy. This case usually happens after intense storms.
What Your Roofer Will Look for During a Roofing Inspection?
A professional inspector will do several checks when hired.
They will start by checking for the most visible problems. We refer to damaged shingles, leaks, age-related deterioration, improper installation, or lack of maintenance. Usually, roofing contractors divide inspections into four classes: structure, materials, interior, and workmanship. This way, they ensure to check the entire roof for damage.
The roofers will not only check the roof itself. Also, they will check the chimney, gutters, soffit, and any other element that should protect your home. So, you can expect them to complete an exterior and interior examination to look for leaks and water damage.
Checking the Roof from the Exterior
A standard roof inspection begins with a look at your home’s drainage patterns and worn spots from the ground.
The inspector will look for signs of leaks, broken shingles, and displaced granules. To ensure they don’t forget anything, they can circle it with washable chalk. Then, they will include it in their report.
Besides, they will check all the “joints” of our roof, including sidewalls, dormers, and valleys to assure the flashing seals are in good condition.
During a thorough external roof inspection, a licensed roof inspector may look for:
- Cracked caulk or flashing that has rust stains.
- Missing, broken, buckling, curling, or blistering shingles.
- Cracked or worn rubber boots around vent pipes.
- Large extensions of moss and lichen, which could signal roof decay.
- Mold and roof rot.
- Any type of leaks
- Sagging roof deck and other structural problems.
- The gutters’ structural integrity.
- Checking the Roof from Inside
The inspector may be on the lookout for the following inside your home:
- Moisture around fireplaces
- Peeling paint on the roof overhangs
- Spots on the ceiling
- Ceiling Concave points
- Leaks
- Water discoloration of plumbing near a heat source
- Some of your roof’s wooden rafters have mold and decay.
Can I Perform My Own Inspection?
Of course! Don’t you want to pay for a professional inspection? You may do it yourself, especially for routine maintenance checks.
If you feel comfortable doing so, you can repeat the identical procedures for the exterior and interior checks we described above. Certainly, we advise against it. However, you can spot evident damage and evaluate the roof’s overall condition from the ground. Besides, contact a specialist to check anything that seems wrong.
Regarding the interior inspection, take a flashlight and look around the attic access hole if you feel comfortable doing so. Check for signs of water damage, such as discoloration, moist insulation, water stains, etc.
Does the attic’s interior appear to be in good shape? Then, there is no reason to risk injury or damage to the attic floor by going up there.
Strategy, Budget, and Future Steps After a Roof Inspection
After completing an interior and exterior examination, your expert inspection team will determine what needs repairs. To do so, they will go through their checklist item by item.
Next, they will review the list and determine which items are the highest priorities to address. Finally, we will provide a formal repair quote.
Did a professional inspector discover significant issues during your roof evaluation? You can be sure that Louisiana Roof Crafters has everything you need to get your roof back to 100% quickly! To return your life to normal, we provide thorough roof repair services.
Call Louisiana Roof Crafters at 225-238-6396 for more information. We service areas in Baton Rouge, Denham Springs, Hammond, Covington, Mandeville, Slidell, and New Orleans, LA.
