Did you know that roofs should be replaced every 20 to 25 years? However, your roof might never be able to reach this age if you don’t take care of it in the first place. One of the ways you can make sure your roof stays in good shape is with routine roof inspections.
You might think that having someone take a look at your roof for a few minutes is a waste of money. However, a professional roof inspector will be able to tell you what kind of damage your roof might have sustained and what you might need to do in the future to keep your roof in good shape. To start, let’s take a closer look at when you should get a roof inspection.
When Is The Right Time For A Roof Inspection?
While you can get a roof inspection at any time of the year, certain times may be better than others. For example, if you live in an area that has an annual storm season, you should schedule a roof maintenance inspection before that season comes around. After all, if your roof already has damage and you don’t know about it, the damage will only get worse once the storms roll in.
You should also get your roof inspected after a bad storm. A light drizzle isn’t likely to need an inspection, but if your roof had to endure high winds, hail, and airborne objects such as sticks and branches, some standard roof care will likely be necessary. Even if you take a look at your roof and it looks fine, you might not be seeing more serious and invisible problems such as small leaks or water damage.
You should also get a roof inspection whenever you buy a house. In this case, a roof inspection is usually required anyway. If you are buying a house and don’t know much about the roof, you should ask to see documentation, ask when it was last replaced, and so on.
Asking about any previous roof damage is also important. Roof damage, even if it happened a long time ago, can create future problems such as rot, mold, and decay throughout your home. These problems tend to be far worse than a simple roof repair, so don’t skip on roof inspections when you need them.
Inspections For Aging Roofs
If you know your roof is getting older, you definitely shouldn’t ignore the importance of roof inspections. Depending on how well you have taken care of your roof over the years, the quality of your roof may vary. For example, if you have made sure to get routine roof inspections and to care for your roof before and after storms, your aging roof will likely be in pretty good condition.
This is good news for you because that means your roof will likely last you several more years and you won’t have to pay for a roof replacement for a while. However, if you have completely ignored your roof after all these years, you are far more likely to have more serious problems with your roof. In this case, your roof may be causing damage to your home and may need to be replaced.
You will be able to tell what kind of state your roof is in by hiring a professional roof inspector. An inspector will be able to identify even the tiniest defects in your roof. This is important because even the smallest vulnerabilities in your roof can quickly turn into much larger problems.
One of the most common problems aging roofs have is leaks. Roof leaks can quickly spiral out of control since the water can seep into the ceiling of your home and create serious structural damage along with rot and mold growth. If your inspector finds a leak, you can fix the problem without wasting any time or allowing the problem to get any worse.
Storm Damage And Maintenance
When your roof gets battered around by a storm, and especially by multiple storms, it will eventually sustain damage that you can’t ignore. Many homeowners try to ignore any roof damage because they are afraid of how much it might cost to repair. However, ignoring the problem often makes it worse and even more costly.
Inspections after storms become even worse as your roof gets older. This is because your roof won’t be able to take the same wear and tear as it used to. For this reason, regular inspections and maintenance are very important.
Even if your roof hasn’t sustained any serious damage, your inspector may still recommend that you take some maintenance measures. For example, your roof might benefit from adding some new sealant to the roof shingles. By doing this, you can prevent any future leaks and fix any minor problems your roof might currently have.
Hiring a roof inspector is also a great way to stop any roof damage before it starts. For example, you might not know that your home has a drainage problem. By hiring an inspector before storm season, you will be able to catch this problem and fix it in time.
If you went without an inspection, you would have found out that your roof had a drainage problem only after it was waterlogged. By looking ahead, you can save yourself a lot of time, energy, and money.
All About Routine Roof Inspections
If you thought roof inspections might have been a waste of time before, you should now know that they are very important to prolong the lifespan of your roof. By catching roof issues before they get any worse, you’ll find that the quality of your roof won’t be a problem.
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