Home Inspection : Check the Roof

During a home inspection, the entire property that you are hoping to buy will be looked over closely. But guess what? There is more to a home than what you see on the inside. Believe it or not, many people only think about the interior of a home because that is what they see on a regular basis. Luckily, your home inspector knows better than to spend all their time looking there. Instead, sooner rather than later you will find them on the roof making sure that everything checks out there as well.

Believe it or not, roof related issues are very common findings during a home inspection. And if you do not take care of these problems when you find them, they could cause you a lot of damage and wasted money sooner or later. The question is: what type of roof related problems are common? While this all depends on the type of home you are buying and the age, there are some common issues that your inspector will be watching for.

First and foremost, they will give you an estimate on how old the roof is. Obviously, older roofs have a better chance of causing you problems in the near future. These problems may not be present right now, but they are on the verge.

In addition to age, your home inspector will be checking very carefully for any structural damage, as well as leaks. In some cases they will be able to see these leaks from the inside. But of course, they never take any chances. Even one small leak in the roof can cause major problems. Not only can a small leak turn large in no time at all, but it can also damage the wood and other structure beneath the roof. In turn, your problem could go from one that is roof related to one that is much more serious.

Overall, you will not have to tell your home inspector to check the roof. They will bring a ladder with them, and if necessary, spend plenty of time on this part of the home. Even though you may be most concerned with the visible items on the interior, one of the biggest potential problems lies on the outside. Roofs are expensive to repair or replace. So when you buy a new home, make sure that you will not have to do this for many years.