Summary
Performing a roofing inspection is something best left to the professionals. An experienced roofing contractor has the knowledge, know-how, and expertise that an average homeowner doesn’t.
Sometimes there are apparent signs your roof needs replacing such as missing shingles, water damage in the attic, a sagging roof, or granules in your gutter, to name a few. Even when there are no glaring issues, it is still recommended to have a roofing inspection performed to identify any problems before they turn into costly repairs. It’s always better to prevent problems before they happen so if you would like Summit Roofing to inspect your roof, contact us now.
Here’s what you can expect during your roofing inspection with Summit Roofing
When we arrive at your home, we will introduce ourselves and our company. It is important that you know who we are and that you feel comfortable about the inspection we are going to perform. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have!
There are two ways we perform our roofing inspections that depend on the height and pitch of your roof. We will either set up and use a ladder or we will use our drone. If we decide to use our drone, there are a few steps we do to prepare it for flight. Once ready to climb the ladder or launch our drone, the procedure follows the same steps. The nice thing about using the drone is you get to see what we see by following along on the screen!
The first thing we do is an overview of the roof to assess how many pipe boots and other roof accessories it has. We can then determine how many possible wear and tear areas need to be inspected.
Next, we take a closer look at the flashing. An integral part of a roofing system, flashing is a flat, thin piece of metal that prevents water from entering any roof penetrations or roof transitions by directing water away from these areas. Typical areas we inspect are chimneys and areas of roof-to-wall transition.
We move on to the pipe boots and accessories next. A pipe boot is a specific type of flashing that goes around the base of the ventilation pipes coming out of your roof and waterproofs them. Roof accessories can include skylights, sun tunnels, power vents, ridge vents, and box vents just to name a few. When we inspect these items, we are looking for any cracks, deformations, exposed nail heads, or any other signs of deterioration.
And then there is the obvious—the shingles! We will look to see if they are cracked or broken. We also want to determine if the granules are still in place and are not rubbing off in our hands. All of this will give us a good idea of the health of your shingles.
The last step of our roofing inspection will be to look at the gutters. Whether we are flying our drone or doing a ground inspection we will check to see if there are any blockages or loose gutters. We also take into consideration the type and density of the trees surrounding your home and may recommend gutter guards to prevent blockages and extend the life of your gutters and your roof!
Throughout this whole process, we take photos to document our findings. After we have completed our inspection we will review our findings and photos with you letting you know of any specific problems identified. As always, we love having homeowners ask us questions about the inspection so we can be sure they fully understand the results.
If we find your roof is in need of replacement, we will provide you with a free, written estimate which includes a line-by-line list of the items your roof needs.
At Summit Roofing we pride ourselves on our customer service. We send our estimates via email but are always available to have a phone conversation so we can go over the details and answer any questions you may have. We also go that extra mile and will deliver the estimate to you at your home if you prefer.
One of the questions we typically get asked when we provide an estimate is when will the roof installation begin. We are usually ready to start your installation as soon as two weeks after the signing of a contract.
Getting your house ready for the installation of a new roof will help keep both your home and your family safe.
You will want to make sure that all vehicles are moved away from your home. There could be falling debris that could cause damage during a roof installation. The same goes for any patio furniture, grills, etc. that are near your house. If you are able, move them to a safe location either inside your garage or further away from your house.
If your kids and pets will be inside while the roof is being installed you may want to have them spend the day at a neighbor’s or friend’s house. It will be noisy! And as a precaution we always let homeowners know that the vibrations for the roof installation could cause decorations in your home to fall, so moving them to a safe spot is a good idea.
Ask the roofing experts at Summit Roofing of NC
Knowing what to expect from a roofing inspection is always a wise move. An even smarter move is to have it done by an experienced roofing contractor! Our professional and knowledgeable team is available to answer any additional questions you may have and to provide you with a free quote or roof inspection in the greater Raleigh area. Contact us today.