Roof Best Practices: Care And Maintenance Tips For Your Roof – Part II: Roof Inspections: Keeping A Professional Eye On Things
If, for any reason, you suspect that your roof may be failing, or has sustained some form of damage, your next step should be to contact a roofing professional for a full roof inspection. This will allow you to determine the extent of the damage to your roof, what caused the damage, and things that may cause problems in the future. Before you have a leak or some other roof problem repaired, you should first have your roof professionally inspected, as this will ensure that you’re targeting the right things.
What goes into a professional roof inspection
To give you an accurate assessment of the condition of your roof, a professional roof inspection should include the following:
Full interior roof inspection – a full interior roof inspection involves going up to your attic to check for problems. This includes assessing your attic insulation to make sure your attic is properly – and adequately – insulated, and checking to see if moisture or mold are growing in your attic.
Full exterior roof inspection – this involves the inspector going up onto your roof to check on things up close and advise you of the state it’s in. This includes assessing the current condition of your roofing shingles, and whether the extent of wear and tear necessitates either a partial or full roof replacement. Other things that the inspector should be on the lookout for are standing water, water buildup, and other signs or possible causes of leaks; (in winter) ice buildup and possible ice damming on the roof; missing or damaged flashing, especially along the dormers, valleys, side walls, and eaves; and any damage to your chimney.
After the inspection
Just as important as the inspection itself is the inspector’s professional assessment on the state of your roof, as well as his recommendations based on that assessment. If the inspection was carried out by your preferred roofing professional, then you can immediately act on his recommendations and schedule the repair or replacement of your roof.
After going through all that, you wouldn’t want to go through another repair or replacement any time soon. How do you make sure you won’t have to? More in Part III.
