House Inspection Details: What’s the Roof Inspection Like?
A roof’s condition determines your home’s value and durability.
The roof protects the home’s interior and exterior, not to mention the people living in it.
Building roof defects in Melbourne may bring a home’s value down or damage its integrity. A regular house inspection can tell you the roof’s condition and how to fix it.
A building inspector that understands roofs in Melbourne can test the integrity of the roof. the inspector will look for serious problems, and even forecast when you may need a replacement roof., we recommend paying for a roof inspection annually.
What Makes a Roof?
Your roof has an internal and external structure. Internally, the roof is made of timber or steel.
The exterior, or the part you see, is made of your typical roofing materials, such as tiles or shingles. The roof’s interior components remain intact as long as the roof’s exterior components are stable. The moment the exterior components become damaged, you run the risk of the following building roof defects in Melbourne:
- Water leaks
- Mold problems
- Damaged plaster
- Structural defects
A proper roof inspection will include an inspection of the interior and exterior roof components. You’ll then receive a detailed report showing you the roof’s condition.
How Does a Roof House Inspection Work?
A proper roof house inspection requires a professional to walk on the roof, inspecting each aspect closely. Yes, you could inspect the roof yourself, but at least once a year, let a professional do it.
You may notice small issues, which we discuss below, but the bigger issues that ruin a roof’s integrity are best left for the professionals.
A reputable inspector will inspect all aspects of the roof, not just the metal deck or tiles. The inspector should look at the gutter and downpipes, as well as the flashing, chimney, and vents. Inspectors look for obvious things like holes, missing or broken tiles and obvious damage.
But, they also look for less obvious weak spots or areas that are about to become a bigger problem than they seem. A roof inspection should leave you with an idea of the time left on the roof. You should also understand the repairs the roof requires.
The report should include a listing of all concerns on the Melbourne roof tiling, whether they are unsafe or about to become a structural issue. The faster you deal with the issues found during the building inspection, the more you can minimize the damage. A faulty roof can cause extreme interior and exterior damage. Take the roofing inspection report seriously, when you receive it.
The Right Steps for Roof Maintenance
Roof maintenance is just as important as roof inspections. With proper maintenance, you can avoid the risk of leaks, water damage, mold growth, and even a loss of personal property. Oftentimes, homeowners don’t realize there’s a leak until the damage is done. Preventing water damage is as simple as:
- Keeping your gutters and downspouts clear of debris
- Applying coating and sealant to the roof’s exterior
- You can also prevent damage to your roof from the hot summer sun by:
- Sealing and insulating the interior of your home
- Keeping the interior of your home cool during the hot summer months
Can you do Your Own Roof Inspection?
We highly recommend that you have a professional look for building roof defects annually. This helps you know your roof’s exact condition, what needs fixing, and how much life you have left on it. In the meantime, though, there are certain steps you can take to ensure the livelihood of your roof.
Inspecting the Exterior of Your Roof
While we never recommend that you walk on your roof yourself, you can check for major issues with your roof by looking at street level or from a ladder.
From street level, you can look for missing or severely damaged tiles/shingles. You may also see damaged flashing or large pools of water sitting on the roof. Look closely at your gutters – are they overflowing? Are there pools of water near the foundation?
Next, get up on a ladder and look for less obvious concerns, such as loose or damaged nails, sagging ridges, rusting metal near the vent or chimney. Do you notice any areas of depression?
Inspecting the Interior of Your Roof
Checking your roof’s exterior often will reduce the need to check for damage inside. If you notice any of the following issues inside, though, you caught the issue too late. You may have severe damage on your hands:
- Light streaming through the roof
- A moist or sagging ceiling
- Water leaks anywhere near the roof
- Water stains running down the walls
The Top Reasons to Hire a Building Inspector for Your Roof House Inspection
We know that it’s easy to assume you can do the roof inspection yourself. Many people do exactly this.
They don’t call until they see some of the signs we talked about above – the interior signs of water damage that signify the roof has major issues.
What if you could catch those issues before they became such a large problem? That’s the importance of hiring a building inspector at least once a year, to check the integrity of your roof. If you do your own roof inspection (which is fine in between professional inspections) and notice any of the above issues, call a professional right away.
The building inspector can give you the lowdown on the exact problems and solutions. Wouldn’t you rather pay for an inspection now and lower the cost of roofing maintenance and repairs?
If you wait too long and the damage is extensive, you could be looking at thousands of dollars in damage when you could have prevented the issues with a building inspection. Are you ready for a professional building inspection on your home in Melbourne? Check out our services to see how we can help you. If you prefer to talk in person, call us at 0450 632 867.
