Roof Inspection in Sterling Heights, MI

A general home inspection covers the roof, but HomeGuide notes that it can be a limited visual check, with the underside seen while the inspector is in the attic for other systems. A buyer's roof inspection goes further. A roofer walks the slopes where it's safe and notes the shingle type and number of layers, granule loss, curled or cracked tabs, the flashing at every wall and chimney, the vent boots, and soft spots in the deck underfoot. Then the attic: old stains on the rafters, signs of frost around the nail tips, and soffit vents buried under insulation. The point is a number you can negotiate with: a roof with a few years left changes the price of the house, and HomeGuide notes that many mortgage lenders want at least 3 years of useful life, as judged by an inspector. Book it early in your inspection contingency window. HomeGuide says reports usually arrive 1 to 2 days after the visit.

After hail or high wind, an inspection answers one question: did the storm damage the roof, or is what you're seeing just age? Hail leaves randomly scattered bruises where granules were knocked off. Wind leaves creased, torn or missing tabs, usually along eaves, hips and ridges. Old roofs have their own wear (blistering, curling, cracked tabs), and insurance generally treats that as wear and tear, not storm damage. A useful post-storm report has dated photos, a slope-by-slope count, and notes on dented vents, gutters and downspouts, which back up what's on the shingles. What to do with that report, from the claim to the adjuster's visit, is on the storm damage roof repair page, and the hail damage roof repair page explains how hail marks differ by material.

The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) recommends checking a roof at least twice a year, preferably in spring and fall, and again after severe weather. On a steep roof, NRCA says most of that check can happen from the ground or a ladder at the edge, and it advises homeowners without experience and safety gear to stay off the roof. In spring the job is finding what winter did: lifted tabs, a cracked boot, granules piled at the downspouts. In fall it's getting ready for snow: clearing valleys and gutters, checking that the bath fan and dryer vents are intact, and fixing small flashing gaps before ice can work into them. On a roof in its second decade, those small fixes are what keep it from becoming a leak repair.

A drone photographs a steep, high or fragile roof without anyone walking on it, which matters on a 12:12 slope, a two-storey gable or a roof soft enough to break underfoot. Anyone flying a drone for business needs an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and a registered aircraft, so ask whoever shows up. Infrared works differently. Wet insulation and decking hold the day's heat longer than dry areas, so a thermal camera shows them as warm patches. It's most useful on low-slope membrane roofs over garages and additions, where water can travel under the membrane far from where it got in. Prices for both are in the fee section below.

Sometimes the buyer's lender or a new insurer wants a document, not a conversation. A roof condition letter, often called a roof certification, states the roof's condition and its expected remaining life. HomeGuide says one is normally issued only for a leak-free roof with 2 to 5 years of useful life left, often only after the repairs the inspection found are done. It's an expert opinion and not a guarantee that the roof won't leak. Ask what the letter will actually say before ordering one.