In today’s world, few would question the importance of getting scheduled oil changes, heading to the doctor for an annual checkup, or giving your house a spring cleaning every year. But what about getting your roof inspected?
Our roofs are just there, above us, out of sight and out of mind. We assume that they are durable and long-lasting when in reality, they take a beating protecting our homes, possessions, and our loved ones every day.
Regular roof inspections are crucial in understanding the condition of your roof. A roof inspection is a detailed examination of the interior and exterior of your roof done by a professional roofer to assess the condition of your roof. It will include a digital analysis with photographs of current dangers, potential future problems, and recommendations for any necessary repairs.
A thorough roof assessment will guide you in creating a proper maintenance schedule and help you prioritize repairs. A well-maintained roof can double or even triple its lifespan at a fraction of the cost of an entire roof replacement.
What’s more, neglecting the health of your roof can not only cause serious damage to the rest of your house, (and your wallet), it can put you and your loved one’s health and safety at risk as well.
When Should I Get A Roof Inspection?
Regardless of the climate, your roof type, or the age of your home, a thorough roof inspection is necessary at least once a year. The National Roofing Contractors Association, recommends getting regular roof inspections twice a year as part of your home maintenance routine. In climates with the full range of seasons, it is recommended you schedule this a minimum of once per year, every year, in the spring, so potential damage from snow, ice, and other winter weather can be noticed and repaired as soon as possible.
Inspections Are A Must After A Severe Storm
The Colorado Front Range, specifically the areas between Colorado Springs to Denver metro get more severe hail events than anywhere else in the county. If you live in an area such as this, with violent storms producing high winds or hail, it is imperative you schedule an inspection immediately after the storm.
You Are Buying Or Selling A Home
When considering the purchase of a new home, hiring a professional inspector is a must. Oftentimes, it is advisable to hire multiple inspectors to ensure you are getting an accurate portrayal of any defects. Some inspectors might be better at assessing structural complications, while others can easily discern electrical or plumbing issues. However, a home inspection is a broad review of an entire property’s main systems and components, and these inspectors rarely have the specialization needed to properly assess the condition of the roof.
Regardless of whether roof repair is necessary, getting the inspection results in writing is very important. Your home insurance company will need this information, and it’s good documentation to have on hand if you put your house on the market in the future. Plus, your roofing specialist will be able to alert you of any new or upcoming changes to code that could have a huge impact on whether or not upgrades or repairs need to be made and how quickly.
When selling your home it is important to know the value of your roof as you head into negotiations. If a potential buyer sees a large financial burden of a potential roof repair or replacement in the future, they are likely to ask for a price reduction to compensate. Furthermore, if you are in a buyers market, or are selling an older home, acquiring a roof certification could be the key to closing the sale.
A roof certification is a document from a roofing professional meant to inform the homeowner (and prospective buyers) about the roof’s condition and lifespan, and is typically valid for 2 to 5 years after the inspection. If repairs are needed, the roofing professional will provide a digital analysis and report outlining exactly what needs to be done for the roof to be certified. If no repairs are needed, the official roof certification document will be provided.
You Are Renewing Your Home Insurance Or Changing Carriers
It’s no secret that the last thing insurance companies want to do is pay out a claim. For this reason alone, it is crucial that you have a professional roof inspection before renewing a contract or signing a new one. Insurance adjusters are not roofing experts, so why should you rely on a non-expert to assess your damage and settlement? You definitely want a trusted specialist on your side.
The insurance company’s adjuster will perform the same roof inspection but may come up with very different results for the cause of damages and/or the cost to repair or replace your roof. Not only will an experienced roofing contractor thoroughly inspect the roof and analyze the damage, but he or she will also present the findings to the adjuster so that they know the scope of work that is required and offer a more accurate settlement to you.
You Have Had Maintenance Done To Other Home Systems On Your Roof
Perhaps you had an air conditioner installed? Maybe you decided to upgrade your chimney? Perhaps you hired the local kids to shovel off the snow from the last storm? A roof inspection will bring to light any damage caused by these additional projects. And, if done in a timely manner, can give you the documentation you need to ensure the job is done right.
Do I Need To Hire A Professional Or Can I Inspect My Roof Myself?
You wouldn’t try to diagnose the reason your check engine light turned on if you had no automotive experience, would you? (We hope not!) The same logic applies when assessing the condition of your roof. Without the right tools and expertise, you will always miss important details that could cause future damage, lead to insurance claim refusal, and require expensive and time-consuming repairs. Here are the top 5 reasons to hire a licensed, certified, and insured professional for your roofing inspection:
- They have a trained eye to critically examine all of your roof’s essential components, both interior and exterior, and can spot even the slightest hint of damage. Plus, they can skillfully discern between different types of storm damage, including hail, wind, snow and ice, and damage caused by debris.
- They know exactly how to maneuver around a roof in a safe, low-risk manner.
- They are your ally against the insurance companies and know exactly what to put into the report to maximize your insurance claims should you need to place one. They are experienced in supplementing, should this be necessary, and are trained to avoid using specific language such as “zippering” which if mentioned on a report can destroy your chances of being covered.
- They are experts in the latest codes and regulations and will be able to point out any compliance issues you would never even think to look for.
- They will provide you with a recommended plan of action to address any immediate concerns as well as itemized repairs complete with product suggestions and estimates.
At Kapella Roofing, our roof inspectors go through a rigorous training process before they are even allowed out in the field. Additionally, whether it is staying up to date on best practices, safety procedures, licenses, and regulations or deepening our knowledge and specializations, we are constantly learning and improving in order to advise and lead with confidence.
How Much Do Roof Inspections Cost?
Roof inspections cost anywhere from $75 to $675 with the average cost coming in at $210 says a report by Home Advisor. However, you should NEVER PAY FOR A ROOF INSPECTION. Any trusted and professional roofing company will offer free roof inspections. Just make sure you choose one that is licensed, certified, and insured. Should you request additional services, such as drone video, infrared technology, or on the spot leak fixes, those might cost extra.
At Kapella Roofing, our certified, fully licensed and insured professionals always provide free, no-obligation roof inspections complete with a digital analysis and damage report that includes photos and videos. In addition, if we discover any damage-causing leaks that need immediate repair, we’ll be able to patch it for you right then and there!
How Is A Roof Inspection Done?
During a roof inspection, your specialist will follow a specific roof inspection checklist to give you a comprehensive roadmap outlining his or her findings from most urgent to least urgent. A comprehensive roof inspection consists of four steps:
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Step 1: Ground Level Analysis
Your specialist will start with a ground-level analysis, performing a full walkthrough of the property making notes and taking crime scene style photos and videos of the elevations, drainages, siding, wraps, vents, and electrical connections.
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Step 2: Exterior Roof Inspection
Next, the specialist will climb the ladder to start the exterior roof inspection. Our inspectors always check the soft metals for damage first including vents, ac units, turbines, etc. Damage here is always indicative of damage elsewhere and will alert the specialist as to what kinds of damage he or she should be on the lookout for.
From there, he or she will check the ridge, the hips (inspecting each elevation), and the field of shingles for signs of creases, cracks and leaks as well as damage to soffit, fascia, gutters, and drains. He or she will look for curled or missing shingles, granule loss, heat blistering, lifting of shingle fasteners, and damage to vulnerable areas like valleys and ridges. He or she will inspect for proper flashing of dormers, valleys, sidewalls, eaves, and rakes and examine any chimney or air conditioning work.
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Step 3: Interior Attic and Decking Inspection
Next, your specialist will move to the attic, checking for proper insulation, ventilation, moisture and mold as well as the nail penetration into the deck sheathing. Professionals can tell if there is a leak more easily from the inside then from outside, so if your specialist doesn’t ask to see the attic, you should be concerned.
He or she will also inspect the decking – the wood that makes up the structural component of your roof, assessing the type and installation as well as looking for defects and damage in order to determine what needs to be filed with the insurance company should there be a claim. This will also determine what needs to be done to install the type of roof covering that you desire, as specific roof covering require specific decking types and formations.
Veteran roofing professional Jeremy F. emphasizes that, “The shingles aren’t your roof, your roof is actually the decking below it. The shingles are there just to protect your roof.” further solidifying the importance of both an interior and exterior inspection.
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Step 4: Walkthrough Of The Damage Report With The Homeowner
All documentation will be presented to the homeowner in the form of a digital analysis and report. The inspection report will tell a comprehensive story, including a combination of far, medium, and close-range photos and videos so that they, (and any insurance companies or future buyers) know without a doubt that this is their roof.
Then the roofing specialist will walk through the entire report with the homeowner, explaining in detail his or her findings. A true professional will take the time to go to over what the damage actually is and clarify what it means (warranty voided, shingles compromised, leaks causing damage elsewhere, future problems likely to arise, etc.) Your specialist must be able to explain his or her findings and must be willing to do so. If this is not the case, you should consider scheduling another inspection.
At Kapella Roofing, our specialist’s job as the homeowner’s ally first and foremost is to educate. We will take as much time as necessary to make sure that when we leave, you are confident about your understanding of our findings. From there, we will go over our recommended plan of action to address any immediate concerns as well as itemized repairs complete with product suggestions and estimates.
I Have Damage I Want To Fix. What’s The Next Step?
As your ally, your trusted roofing professional should always have your best interests in mind. Should you need to file an insurance claim and choose to complete the job through Kapella Roofing, one of our contractors will be there by your side during the assessment fighting on your behalf to prove that your roof was assessed properly by the insurance adjuster. You wouldn’t go to court without a lawyer and you definitely shouldn’t have an insurance adjuster do a roof assessment without a trusted roofing contractor in your corner.
Have you had a professional roof inspection this year? If not, what is stopping you? Tell us in the comments below and then schedule your free roof inspection with one of our Denver area professionals today!