Bizpals- Roof Inspection for beginners

Category Home Exteriors

Roof Inspection For Beginners

Roof Inspection For Beginners

As the season transitions to winter, what can you do to make sure your house is winterized and ready? A good place to begin is at the top, with an inspection of your roof to spot any problems developing that may require you to hire a roofer.

Get Your Roof Ready For Winter

Inspecting your roof is a maintenance task that can pay big dividends. When bad winter weather hits, your roof takes the brunt of it, protecting your house from the elements. Spotting potential problems and getting them fixed now can save you costly repairs later on. If your roof is no longer entirely waterproof, you are at risk for water damage, a problem that can build up stealthily in hard-to-spot areas. So now is the time to be proactive and see if your roof needs any maintenance or repairs for winter.

Ladder Safety

A pair of binoculars will allow you to inspect the roof safely from the ground, but if you decide to get a closer look you will need a ladder. Be sure to place the ladder carefully where the ground is stable and even. Climb up using both hands and don't climb past the third rung from the top. If possible, have someone else there to hold the ladder. These may sound like very basic tips but many people are injured every year because they don't practice ladder safety. You can find a list of helpful safety tips on the website of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), at http://www.osha.gov/Publications/portable_ladder_qc.html.

Warning Signs in Shingles

As you begin inspecting your roof, look closely for loose, curling shingles or missing shingles. If you see shingles like that, make a note of the location. The shingles should look full and lie flat on the roof. If you see any shingles with cracks or bare spots, note down where they are because you may have a problem developing.
Also look for “blistered” shingles: shingles that have puffy blisters on the surface. The blistering can be caused by excessive heat during the summer, or by large amounts of water (from heavy rain or snow lying on the roof), or by faulty adhesive. These shingles are damaged and should probably be replaced.

Checking for Roofing Granules

As part of your inspection, check your downspouts for roofing granules. Roofing granules give a roof color, but they also protect asphalt and fiberglass from the sun's ultraviolet rays. It's not uncommon to find a few roofing granules in your downspouts, especially if your roof is new. But if yours is an older roof, and you find enough granules in your downspouts after it rains to fill your palm, your roof's integrity may be compromised. Wear and tear from hail and storms or simply from aging may be producing bare spots on your roof, and those spots need to be repaired.

Ventilation Pipes, Chimneys and Attics

Check around ventilation pipes (from kitchens or bathrooms) for cracks or other signs of damage to the pipes. These pipes may be weak spots in your roof's defenses so note any telltale signs that you see. Check around the chimney area for wear and tear. Are there loose or damaged bricks? Does the sealing around the chimney look intact? Is the flashing around the chimney showing signs of wear or storm damage? The inside of your attic should be inspected too, to see if there are any visible leaks. Look for water stains on the inside of the ceiling. Are there signs of leaking or moisture around pipes and vents inside the attic? Note the location of any problem areas that you see.

Tree Alert

As you're completing your inspection, look at the trees around the house. Are there branches touching the roof or overhanging it? If so you may want to get those trees trimmed back before winter comes to avoid possible damage to your roof. It's recommended that you have a gap of six feet between the roof and any tree branch.

Use BizPals to Help You Hire a Roofing Contractor

Once you've completed your roof inspection, you'll be in a good position to decide whether you need to get your roof repaired by a professional roofer. BizPals can help you find top roofing contractors you can trust to do the job right.

• Look for roofing contractors in our Service Directory, at http://www.bizpals.com/directory/home-exteriors/roofing-contractors.
• Use our handy checklist on hiring roofing contractors for questions to ask about getting estimates, contracts, insurance, and clean-up. Use our checklist on evaluating roofers to rate your contractor's performance in areas such as professionalism, communication and punctuality. Get the full list at http://www.bizpals.com/articles/hiring-roofing-contractors.