Roof inspections can be very dangerous, so it is important to be safe.
A tool rental company rents the safety harness you will need before getting onto the roof as well as the additional tools necessary to help you inspect the roof.
A tape measure for measurement and a pen and paper for calculation is a must.
There is additional safety information available at your local shingle supply warehouse.
Watch For Shingles Losing Granules and Color
A roof that has lost its granules and color is a roof that is in bad condition.
Often you can see the loss of granules in the gutter system and downspouts and if you notice bubbles or blisters on the outer surface of the roofing shingles, this is indicative of poor ventilation.
There should not be any streaking or discoloration of the shingles; if you notice a pattern of streaking or discoloration, then the roof has a problem with blue algae.
This fungus creates an issue for the fungus grows its roots into the matting of the shingle and causes the shingles to become porous.
Watch For Poor Roofing Ventilation System
You will need to evaluate your roof's ventilation system for any possible defects or damage.
Roof vents or ridge vents are made of metal and therefore you will need to make sure the metal is not damaged.
Ensure there are no dings or dents present for this would indicate hail damage.
The caulking should be intact and flush with the metal shingle on the roof
Watch Out For Problems With The Chimney
The simplest way to inspect the chimney on your roof is to look for cracks and openings at the wall line.
The shingles should lay flat against the metal flashing and it should not be rusted or damaged in any way plus the shingles should be in fair condition without any streaking or discoloration noted.
You can also inspect the interior portion of the chimney while inside of the attic.
If you notice water stains on the decking of the roof, then the water stains are indicative of an active or prior roof leak.
A moisture meter rented from a tool rental company can help you locate moisture inside the attic which would indicate roof leaks.
Watch Out For Problems Around Any Roofing Protrusion
The most common place for a roof system to leak is around a penetration that is coming through the substrate.
Plumbing pipes or HVAC pipes that are coming through the roof are usually the culprits for most roof damage.
Be sure to inspect each pipe for cracking, openings, and decayed material and if you should find any of the these, then roof repairs will need to be made.
Roofing cement should installed at the collar of each pipe.
If the cement is cracked or dried out, then the pipes will need to be re-sealed with new cement.
Check For The Number of Roofing Layers
Finally, you will need to assess how many roofing layers are on the existing substrate which can be achieved while standing at the bottom of the ladder.
Raise the bottom of the shingles while standing on the ladder and look for additional layers of roofing underneath the original roof.
There should not be more than two layers of shingles on any substrate and if you find more than two roof layers, the home will require a complete roof system installed.
All shingle manufacturers state that a home may have no more than two layers installed onto the roof structure.