If you’ve built a new roof for your house, we recommend inspecting it at least once a year. A bi-annual or annual inspection can help you spot potential issues and get them sorted before they become serious with a huge expense. As a homeowner, you can spot many underlying issues by just going around the house and checking out the roof from ground level or noticing other signs of damage from the inside.
So, how can you inspect your roof by staying on the ground, and what things can a roofer spot by getting up on the roof?
Here’s a list of things you can check for on your roof from the ground or inside:
If you see dark spots or circles on the ceiling or walls inside your home, your roof leaks, causing the water to seep into the walls.
If you notice small clusters of black, dark green, brown, grey, or white spots inside your home, it is a clear sign of mold growth. This is caused by excessive moisture inside the house, probably from the decking under the roof.
If you see your home’s ceiling sagging or light coming through the rafters, there’s either a hole in your roof or the moisture has caused the ceiling to sag. Both these issues are quite severe and call for immediate repairs.
At IBEX Roof, we have a very extensive list we use to evaluate your roof from the top down to inside and out. We never recommend climbing your roof to look for roof damage on your own. Here are the most common signs of damage a professional roofer might find on your roof:
Cracks and blisters in shingles are common and are caused by excessive water accumulation behind the roofing layers. They can also appear due to improper attic ventilation that causes the roof temperature to rise, resulting in cracks and blisters on the shingles.
Another thing to check for is loose nails. These are also caused by moisture and high temperature on the roof and are quite dangerous as loose nails can cause roof components to come undone.
Shingles are embedded with mineral granules that protect them from direct sun exposure and help retain their color. Heavy rainstorms can knock off the granules causing the shingles to wear off faster than usual. Therefore, checking the granule loss level when getting your roof inspected is important.
Flashing is the metal sheet placed under the shingles to prevent snow and water from entering the openings and cracks on the roof. Get your roof inspected for dented or missing flashing and get it repaired because it can lead to more serious issues like rotting wood and water infiltration.
If you’re investing a hefty amount in your home’s roofing, it should last its fullest service life. However, that’s only possible if you inspect your roof regularly, spot signs of underlying damage, and get it fixed right away. We hope our roof inspection checklist will come in handy to keep an eye out for anything funny on your roof. And if you suspect a problem, don’t hesitate to give us a call or reach out online.
