Whether you’re a homeowner, property manager, or commercial roofing contractor, staying on top of regular roof inspections is essential. This way, you can avoid severe damage to your roof and keep it in good shape for longer.
A thorough inspection should include checking the exterior roof field. This includes looking for water stains, structural integrity problems, rust, and mold.
Check the Shingles
Shingles protect your home from the elements and are essential to any roofing system. Check for missing, damaged, or aged shingles to prevent future damage and leaks.
Missing shingles will expose your home to storms and can result in water penetration. Fortunately, you can catch these issues before they become significant problems that require professional repair. But if the worst thing happens, it is better to contact experts from roof inspection St Charles County MO.
Look for cracks in the shingles or areas that are discolored or stained. This is a sign that the shingles are deteriorating and must be replaced.
Broken or loose shingles at the ridge and hip lines can also indicate a problem with your roof structure. Severely blistered, curled, or split shingles can also lead to moisture intrusion into your home.
Metal flashing is placed around the intersections where a projection like a chimney or a skylight intersects with the roof. This flashing is essential because it can expand and contract depending on temperature and humidity levels.
Check the Flashing
Flashing serves as an essential barrier between the roof and your home. When it’s missing or damaged, your roof is vulnerable to water damage.
Inspect the flashing for cracks, warped metal, or rust spots. These signs of damage can also indicate that your roof is susceptible to wind storms and other weather events.
If you observe any of these problems, get an expert to examine and fix the flashing.
You can inspect your flashing when the roof meets a wall, such as a headwall or a sidewall. In these situations, the flashing should extend behind the exterior wall covering and over the roof-covering material.
Inspecting the flashing is easy if you have the right tools and equipment. However, it’s best to leave this work to professionals so that you get the most effective results.
Check the Gutters
Gutters are essential for preventing water damage to your home. In doing so, they avoid floods in the basement, soggy landscaping, siding damage, and fascia board rot. They also deflect precipitation away from your foundation.
Clogged gutters can also cause mold, termites, and insect damage. So, a thorough inspection and maintenance are essential to help you avoid these problems and keep your property healthy.
You’ll need a ladder and some cleaning tools to check the gutters. Use a garden trowel or drop cloth to help scoop out debris and remove dirt.
Once you’ve cleaned the gutters, you can run a garden hose down each section to see if water leaks out of the system. This will help you pinpoint the exact location of each leak.
Check the Vents
Roof vents are crucial to ensuring that your roof stays in good condition. They keep the air in your attic and house fresh, so your home doesn’t suffer from hot, humid conditions that can damage your shingles and cause mold growth in your roof.
Most of us don’t take our roof ventilation system for granted, but it’s critical to keeping your home safe and healthy. Proper attic ventilation can reduce heating and cooling costs and protect your wood beams and other structural components from moisture damage.
You can check to see if your roof has the proper vents by locating the pipes that exit onto the roof. Some pipes may be disguised by being capped off, but they should still be visible.
