You see it everyday as you pull up in your driveway or leave your house. Despite seeing it so often, you don’t usually know the actual condition it’s in because you only see it from afar. What is it that you see regularly in your home but don’t know the actual condition of? Your roof of course!
The roof serves as the protector of your home. Even the smallest leak can cause unplanned and unnecessary headache including thousands of dollars in damage. Due to the unknowns in many roofs it’s important that you should utilize a whole house inspection of the home.
Roof inspections
A whole house inspection includes a look at the home’s roof and attic to ensure both won’t cause you issues after you purchase the home.
An inspection of the roof includes an examination of the:
- Chimneys
- Flashings
- Gutters
- Valleys
- And any structural concerns
While the attic inspection includes:
- Fire damage review
- Insulation review
- Structural concerns including framing and bracing concerns
- Water damage
Our engineer, Frank, spent years as an insurance adjuster. During that time and in the decades since, he has walked thousands of roofs to inform prospective home buyers if the home has problems, will have problems or previously had problems. Being able to identify where a current problem stems from can provide leverage as you buy a home.
Leaks
Purchasing a home and think there was a leak from the roof? You may want to consider a leak investigation. It’s an evaluation, either preliminary or exhaustive, that reveals the points of entry of water into the home or building. We often perform these investigations on EIFS and Stucco covered homes, and we find significant defects in hardboard sided homes as well and often window and roofing areas.
A structural engineer can detail damage to help with working with your insurance adjuster. Many insurance companies recognize the unbiased, third-party opinion of an engineer verses the opinion of a roofing company. Read more about roof inspections or contact us today to schedule a roof evaluation by a structural engineer or schedule a whole house inspection when you purchase a home.
