Why Are Roof Inspections Important?
It’s recommended you have your roof inspected yearly or if you believe damage has occurred. Today we are going to talk about why regular roof inspections are important and should not be skipped.
Warranty Repairs
Only some damage is covered under a roof warranty. An inspection will help you determine if you need to file a claim. It will also help the insurance process in and of itself.
Wear and Tear
Like everything else roofs age and weather over time. Having someone look at your roof once a year will help give an idea of how rapidly that is happening. It also lets them keep an eye out for damage that is starting to form before it becomes a bigger issue. Catching and fixing a hole when it’s small costs a lot less than when it’s left to age. Catching a ripped off shingle early means water doesn’t really have a chance to seep in. Water can get trapped between materials and cause rot, prematurely aging your roof. Rot is also a much more expensive problem to fix than a missing shingle.
Storm Damage
This reason is probably the most obvious but nevertheless; storms damage roofs. If you’ve recently experienced things like high winds, major snow storms, hail, etc you should keep an eye out for tell tale signs of damage. If you live in an area that has a hurricane season you may want to get checked twice. Once before the season starts and once after the season ends. But no matter where you live, if you see things like ripped off shingles or damage that is visible from the ground, call a roofer for an inspection.
Leaks
Another obvious one, but if you see signs of a leak, call a roofer for an inspection. A leaking roof is never a good thing and can lead to or be a symptom of a serious issue like rot or decay. Not to mention the water damage to your home. This is kind of a worst case scenario. Ideally inspections will keep naturally occurring issues like this at bay enough that a leak won’t form.
Drainage
Proper drainage is vital to the health of a roof. When water stands and stagnates it can encourage the growth of moss and mold. When moss is left to grow it can create a blanket over sections of, or your entire, roof. This blanket holds water which not only makes it heavy, causing added stress to your roof from the weight. The water it’s holding now also creates a vicious cycle of stagnated water. Which can cause more moss and mold growth. Mold growth even when it’s on your roof can still be a hazard to your health.
Not to mention water has a fantastic way of seeping in wherever it shouldn’t. As discussed above, if left to its own devices water will get past the shingles and trapped between them and lower roofing materials. This trapped water can cause the materials underneath to rot. Checking to make sure your roof is draining properly is a fast and effective way to avoid long term damage.
Get your roof inspected by a professional roofing contractor
Damage from Maintenance
Homes need work from lots of different kinds of contractors. Sometimes a contractor repairing something like an air conditioner results in damage to a roof. Undeniably a roofing contractor is best suited to fix this kind of damage, not necessarily the contractor who originally caused the damage.
Unexpected Surprises
Sometimes as a homeowner you pay for the sins of previous owners. You’d be surprised how many people find out they had things like satellite dishes on their roof because of an inspection. Now if the homeowner didn’t even notice it’s clearly not an eyesore. The issue arises when these things are improperly installed, namely when they drill too deep. Effectively creating a hole in your roof that will cause more serious long term damage. Removing the object and fixing the hole(s) will help keep the damage from getting worse.
What it Will Cover
- Wear and tear.
- Mold and fungus.
- Moss and lichen.
- Weather damage.
- Missing, damaged, or improperly installed shingles.
- Damage to vents, gutters, or chimneys.
They may also look inside at the attic, insulation, ceiling, and walls. This is to check for any signs of leaks like mold or water damage.
Get your roof inspected by a professional roofing contractor
When to schedule an inspection
Now that we’ve shown how important roof inspections are, when is the best time to schedule one? If it’s a routine yearly inspection you want to do it in fall. The reason for this is cold weather can make roof repairs or replacements hard or outright impossible. New shingles cannot seal properly if it is too cold out. If you find an issue too late in the season it may have to be put off until spring. So fall is really your last chance to get major work done before it could be compromised by the weather.
Another reason is repairs that take time to work. If your roof has moss or lichen some treatments can take up to 180 days. This time allows these treatments to do their thing while it’s too cold out to work on the roof. Come spring; once they’ve taken effect, things like lichen can just be swept up. Plus getting some of those falling leaves off of your roof and gutters is never a bad idea.
Hopefully this illustrates the importance of regular roof inspections. And guided you on when they should be done. Remember your roof is your home’s first defense against the elements. Keeping it in good shape will seriously benefit your home.
Give us a call today at (636) 699-0449 or request your free inspection today. You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. 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.