4 Things To Look For In a Roof When Buying a New Home

Are you in the market to buy a new home? A lot of people are still buying homes and the housing market hasn’t really seen a drastic change. Especially here in the St. Charles County area. According to recent reports by St. Charles Realtors, the year-to-date sales volume of homes has increased by 11.45%. The year-to-date median price of a home has increased by 12.87%.

When buying a new home, you should really take strong consideration into inspecting the condition of your potential future home’s roof. It can save you thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars of unnecessary repairs. 

Request a professional roof inspection

Give us a call at (636) 699-0449

The best thing you can do is hire a professional roofing contractor in the St. Charles County area. Although, if it isn’t us and you don’t live in the area then finding a reputable roofing contractor around you is the next best option. Professional and seasoned roofing contractors know exactly what to look for when it comes to inspecting the current state of your potential new home. After all, it’s actually in your best interest to do so. Let’s assume that you choose to inspect the roof of your potential new home yourself. 

There is always a DIY option and here are several things that you need to be mindful of. 

Check for Any Leaks (External and Internal)

One of the first things you want to do is check the external state of the roof. This involves grabbing a ladder and climbing on top of the home’s roof. Then you will need to physically walk the roof to inspect for any actual physical damage. Holes, cracks, warped shingles, etc. Anything that stands out and is quite obvious to the naked eye. Weather conditions can play a determining role in how soon you will be able to accomplish this task so be cautious.

The external inspection of your roof can seem quite tedious. Although the internal inspection is even more tedious. This is where things get even more granular. It’s time to bust out that flashlight and start inspecting the inside of the home. There are certain areas that you should specifically pay close attention to.

• Ceilings.
• Cracks.
• Attics.
• Side Walls. 

You are on the hunt for potential leaks or past leaks. If the home you are looking to purchase has an accessible attic, you will want to inspect that as well. Pre-existing or potential internal leaks can really hide in some hard-to-see places. A thorough inspection hopefully will help you detect any necessary leaks to be repaired.

Inspect the Gutters 

The gutters are a very commonly overlooked area of a house. So overlooked that we have even seen flower beds in some homes. This is what happens when the gutters of a home are extremely neglected. Gutters should be cleaned at least twice a year to ensure they maintain cleanliness. The truth of the matter is that most people struggle with cleaning the gutters at least once per year. When gutters are clean water will flow seamlessly and channel en route to the downspouts. 

It’s difficult to inspect the state of your gutters from the ground. Even at the street level from the ground up, it is still impossible to thoroughly inspect the state of your gutters. This is where you will need to roll up the sleeves and take some necessary steps to inspect the condition of the gutters. 

• Grab your ladder.
• Climb up to the top of it. Enough so you can visually inspect the gutters section.
• Inspect the state of your gutters.
• Look for any twigs or debris that might be stuck in the gutters.
• Grab a blower if needed to blow out the debris. 

Need your gutters cleaned? Get in touch with us today!

Did you know that any kind of debris over time can weigh down your gutters? As result, they can break and fall down. It’s not something that happens often but it’s almost always due to poor maintenance. 

Flush the Downspouts 

While you are up on that ladder, you will want to check your downspouts. Why? If you previously had debris stuck in the gutters it may have clogged up portions of the downspouts. This does not happen often. Although and depending on the area the home resides in there might be tree debris that is small enough to get stuck in the downspouts. As result, the downspouts will perform poorly in channeling the water properly alongside the house. Over time this can create substantial damage where the actual downspout may break. There are a couple of different ways that you can flush the downspouts.

• Grab the hose and run water alongside the gutters forcing it to drain. 
• Watch to see if the water flushes and drains properly at the street level.
• Act accordingly based on your test. 

You should see water gushing at the bottom of the downspouts at the street level. Use your best judgment to determine if it’s flushing correctly. You will clearly be able to tell if water is coming out or not. At that point, you will know if the downspouts need attention or are in good condition. 

Structural Damage

Throughout the process of inspecting the roof, leads, gutters, and downspouts you will also want to pay closer attention to any structural damage. This is a tough one to inspect personally. It is preferred to be done by an experienced roofing contractor. There are a lot of different areas to check for. If the home you are looking to purchase is older, it is even more intricate to pay closer attention to. 

Inspecting for potential structural damage on the roof of your new home covers the following areas?

• Cracks. 
• Missing pieces.
• Loose pieces/shingles. 
• Rust.
• Rot.
• Fascia.
• Chimney.
• Skylight. 

All of the above mentioned are areas or components that are a part of your roof. Many people do not understand how all of these components and areas play a key role in overall roof durability. If you have cracks, they will need to be fixed. Missing pieces or loose shingles will create future leaks and should be replaced. Rust and rot will crumble eventually. Broken fascia will impact the overall performance of the roof. Chimney and skylights can leak creating potential fire hazards or flooding. 

Request a professional roof inspection

Give us a call at (636) 699-0449

Conclusion

It’s exciting to buy a new home. Especially if you are a first-time homebuyer. That’s even more exciting. In fact, many people tend to allow their sheer excitement to get the best of them. So much that they end up forgetting about the things that must be done prior to buying a home. Things like ensuring that your future home roof is in good condition. It’s in your best interest that will save you thousands of dollars or even tens of thousands of dollars in the long term. Don’t get caught up in the moment.

Give us a call today at (636) 699-0449 or request your free inspection today. If you’re in the St. Charles County area and looking for an experienced roofing and siding contractor, we are bringing forth over 20 years of experience in the roofing industry. That’s something you can trust and especially if we’re in your neck of the woods.