How to Perform a Roof Inspection and What You Should Look For

Roof maintenance is essential for homeowners. Your roof's purpose is to protect you and your home from the elements, but it requires regular maintenance to stay in prime condition. The best way to correctly maintain your roof is through periodic inspections. As a homeowner, you may think roof maintenance or roof inspections are complex, but that's not true. You can perform a roof inspection yourself or call a roofing contractor. This blog has some great tips on how to perform a roof inspection, what you should look for during an inspection, and what to do if you find serious problems with your roofing system.

A roof inspection is simply a walk-around to check for any signs of problems with the roof. This might include checking for missing or damaged shingles, holes, or other damage. It's also essential to look for cracks in the roof, chimneys and vents. Additionally, check all seams and connections to ensure they are correctly sealed. We recommend inspecting your roof every year if it is more than ten years old. If you spot any damages or other issues with your roof during your inspection, it's best to have a local roofing contractor come and fix it before things get worse. It's easier and more cost-effective to repair a small problem before it grows and you need a roof replacement.

1. Look for Debris on the Roof: 

You can start your DIY roof inspection from the ground; you may need binoculars. Begin by walking around your home and checking your roof for piles of leaves, algae, moss or other debris. Debris on your roof can trap moisture, which can seep into the sheathing and even into the roof's structural elements and cause severe damage.

1. Look for Old, Damaged, or Missing Shingles:

Missing or damaged shingles can be a serious problem. Damaged asphalt shingles can allow water to seep through your roof and damage it. If you have wooden shingles, you should inspect them for signs of dry rot, either from the ground or from a ladder (never walk on a roof with wooden shingles). Slate shingles or clay tile roofs can suffer breakage, so look for cracked, chipped, broken, or missing shingles. For a metal roof inspection, check for signs of corrosion, rust, stress wrinkling, or other wear.

1. Inspect your Roof Up Close:

If you feel comfortable, get up on a ladder and perform your roof inspection up close. While you're up on the roof, look for damage to the flashings around the chimney, dormers, and vent pipes. Check for damaged or corroded flashings that can let water into the interior structure of your roof. You'll probably need the flashings replaced if you see the damage.

1. Investigate Your Attic:

If your home has an attic, it's essential to get in there and look for signs of water leaking through your roof. This can help you spot damage that may not have been visible from the outside or on top of the roof. While running through your roof inspection, check your rafters and the wooden interior of your roof for signs of moisture, mould, and rot. If you spot any water damage, you will need to fix your leaking roof right away.

If you do find severe problems during your roof inspection, like missing shingles, holes or other significant wear and tear, then it's time to call an expert roofing contractor for repairs. You might think issues like a leak in the roof or a hole that needs patching up are minor. But if the issue is not fixed right away, you could end up with water leaks or even severe structural damage.

When it comes to home maintenance, maintaining your roof is essential. Your roof protects your home from the elements, and the condition of your roof can affect your home's safety, value, and energy efficiency. That's why it's essential to understand why you need a roof inspection what you should look for during an inspection. While it is possible to perform a roof inspection by yourself, we recommend calling us and having one of our roofing contractors come out and perform the inspection. The experts at United Roofing & Exteriors are trained on what to look for and can inform you of the best solutions for repair or replacement. Contact us today!