1. Shingle Damage:
There are many ways to determine if your shingles are damaged. Look for curled or buckling shingles. Poor ventilation or old shingles will eventually start to curl and blister. Hail impact will often cause granule displacement and more severe impact will result in bruising of the shingle mat.
2. Attic Damage and Pipe Boots
The attic is a great place to start when inspecting your roof. Look for overall condition of the sheathing. Dark sheathing is a sign of possible microbial growth. Are the nails clean or rusting? Inadequate ventilation can cause moisture build up in the attic, especially in colder winter months resulting in condensation (with resulting corrosion) of nails and overall adverse environmental conditions. Pay particular attention to the roof sheathing around vents and penetrations such as pipes. The rubber pipe flashing known as pipe boots deteriorate due to simple exposure to UV light. Resulting tearing and cracking of these boots can allow rainwater to enter the attic and often times follow the path of the vent pipe.
Small water marks on your bathroom ceilings or ceilings adjoining bathrooms are a tell tale sign the pipe boots have probably failed. The good news is that your shingles may have plenty of usable life left, but you simply need to have the boots replaced.
3. Missing Shingles
The most common reason for missing shingles is excessive wind action on the roof that caused the shingles to be become displaced. After any high wind event, it is a good idea to view your roof from the ground or contact a professional to determine if there are any shingles that require repair.
Shingles may also become displaced due to slippage. This is more common on high pitched ( steep) roofs that have a longer life shingle installed. Longer life shingles are often heavier. The combination steep roof, heavier shingle and gravity converge and now puts focus on the quality of installation. Incorrect /inadequate nailing will make these shingles more prone to failure.
5. Sagging Spots:
Your roof line should be straight. If you notice a dip or sag then your roof is not supported properly or has become damaged. Pay particular attention to the roof lines under roof vents, especially in areas you may not be able to access the attic underneath. Long term minor water leaks can cause the sheathing to loose its structural strength and result in weak, sagging roof lines.
If the inspection of your roof results reveals repairs or replacement are necessary, you should research your Homeowners Insurance Policy to see if your roof has coverage. Having to navigate through an insurance claim process can require lots of information, but if you follow these tips below, the process will be a little easier.
Tip 1 Inspect Like mentioned above, if you hire an experienced roofing contractor to inspect your roof once or twice yearly, you will be able to detect any damage within a short amount of time.
Tip 2 Inspect Right After a Storm On top of inspecting your roof once or twice yearly, you should also have it inspected after a big storm. Some insurance policies have certain time frames of when they will approve your claim after the damage occurs.
Tip 3 Document Take pictures and document the details related to the damage. An experienced roofing company can help determine the severity of the damage and provide a report of the costs. The insurance company will also want the time and dates the damaged occurred, the events that caused the damage, and measurements.
Tip 4 Choose an Experienced Roofing Contractor An experienced roofing company will work with your homeowner’s insurance to make sure the claim is processed correctly and promptly to ensure you get maximum reimbursement. The roofing company will also provide your insurance with all information needed.
Overall, it’s important to know all insurance companies are different and it just depends on your policy and coverage.
RDU Inspections can provide you with a maintenance inspection of your roof. Detailed inspections are completed either by walking the roof, use of a drone or both. Your inspector, Peter Cowley, is a qualified drone pilot, certified Roof Inspector ( Haag Engineering) and a Licensed and insured Home Inspector in North Carolina.