Professional roof inspections are often a cause of stress to homeowners, who don’t always understand the importance of regular roof maintenance.
The magic “warranty” word leads many people into the false belief that if something goes wrong, it’s the fault of the original roofing company – which is not really the case.
Why? The roof is an integral structure of any home, and it needs to be treated with care.
If a roof becomes damaged before its warranty is up, and you haven’t bothered to maintain it – guess what? That warranty is probably going to be voided.
So Just How Often Should Your Roof Be Inspected?
It depends on a few factors: the weather, the age of the roof, and the season.
If you live in a mild climate and your roof is new, it’s not unacceptable to go up to 5 years before scheduling an inspection. If you, like most Canadians, are facing winter storms, snow piles, springtime hail and summer rain storms, you’re better advised to get your roof checked out every 3 years. The weather has a big impact on your roof, even if it is a strong and sturdy flat roof.
The best time for a roof inspection is shortly before the winter snows set in; this way, any problems can be repaired before the snow, ice and winds make them worse. Small holes, blisters or cracks in the roof are only enhanced when ice gets into them, expanding and cracking the materials further. This is how springtime leaks are created.
Ideally, you yourself should check the roof before and after the most intense season for weather – for us, that’s the winter. Following an intense hail storm, however, it’s best to take a look regardless of the last time you were up there to make a personal assessment. Try to have a look at least once a year, to make sure that everything is as it should be. When blisters or cracks begin to appear, it’s time to bring in someone to make some minor repairs.
What Does A Roof Inspector Look For?
A professional roof inspector will be focused on several issues; namely the construction materials used, water damage, visible holes, sagging and missing pieces.
First, your inspector will want to have a look at the roof to see how well it was initially built, as well as assess the probable age (if you don’t already know.) Any intense weather damage or inferior roofing materials can contribute to leaks, holes and light penetration.
Roof Repairs Versus Replacement
Home owners are often anxious about scheduling a residential roof inspection because they believe they’ll be told that it’s time for an expensive replacement. This is only rarely the case, however, since well-maintained flat roofs can last anywhere between 10 and 50 years, depending on the building materials.
The bottom line is that if you check your roof annually and have it professionally inspected every 3 to 5 years, there will be times when small repairs need to be done. If you agree to the repairs, your roof will have a much longer lifespan, and you’ll save a lot of money in the long run.