Professional Roof Inspection is a set of measures to assess the condition of a roof. Qualified professionals provide the service. The main goal is to identify and prevent potential roofing problems and ensure the roof’s longevity. In the process of inspection, leaks and defects that can cause the roof and the whole house to be in an emergency condition can be detected and corrected in a timely manner.
When is a Roof Inspection Necessary?
A professional roof inspection is often carried out by experienced roofers or inspectors with highly specialized knowledge, experience and the necessary equipment to carry out the work. Professional roofers check the integrity of the roofing and pay attention to waterproofing, ventilation systems, fasteners and other structural elements. In the inspection process, specialists mark the places that have been affected by deformation, corrosion, and covered with cracks.
Inspection of the roof becomes necessary in the case of:
- buying/selling a house
- operation of the house in extreme conditions
- scheduled maintenance of the building
- problems with the roof (leaks, mould growth).
Regular inspections ensure the perfect roof condition, help prevent serious problems and ensure the comfort and safety of living in the house.
Advantages of a Professional Roof Inspection
If we talk about the advantages of professional inspection the client gets ordering a professional roof inspection, it is worth mentioning a few of the most valuable. Namely:
- Identification of problems at an early stage – minor defects and potentially dangerous situations are easier, simpler and cheaper to eliminate before they turn into serious problems
- Extending the life of your roof – regular inspections help keep your roof in a consistently perfect condition, increasing the longevity and efficiency of the structure
- Improved safety: inspections identify potentially dangerous roofing problems, ensuring the safety of everyone who lives or works in the building.
- Improving energy efficiency – during the inspection process, professional roofers identify where heat leaks are occurring, offering a practical solution that helps to keep your home warm.
For extreme regions like Calgary, a professional roofing inspection also prepares the home for the colder seasons. Qualified roofers test the roof to ensure it can withstand wind, snowfall, low temperatures, and other assaults of nature.
Preparations for a Roof Inspection
Before proceeding directly to a roof inspection, certain preparations for inspection must take place. These include:
- Providing access to the roof by clearing passageways of debris, branches and other obstructions
- Clearing the roof of leaves, rubbish, fruit and other debris that obscures the actual condition of the roof from the inspectors' eyes
- Preparing documentation to ensure that the inspectors are fully informed about what work has already been done to the roof and the results of previous inspections
- A self-guided pre-inspection to identify areas that raise questions.
A cursory self-inspection will provide a list of potential roofing problems. During a professional inspection, the specialist will be able to answer each one and pay more attention to the areas that cause concern.
Optimal Season for Roof Inspection
The optimal season for roof replacement in Calgary is spring and autumn. These seasons provide the most optimal conditions for professionals to work and make the necessary repairs, if any are needed, based on the inspection results.
Why spring:
- Checking the condition of your roof after winter – Calgary’s harsh climate can cause serious damage to your roof. Spring is a good time to see and quickly fix winter effects.
- Preparing your roof for summer – before summer showers and hot weather, it’s a good decision to get your roof in order, ensuring that there are no leaks or other problems associated with precipitation and high humidity.
Why autumn:
- Preparing the roof for winter, realizing that the structure is ready for the challenges ahead and able to withstand them with ease
- Calgary’s comfortable weather comes in the autumn, making detailed inspections and repairs easy and hassle-free.
Choosing the best time for the inspection procedure should be dictated primarily by the climatic characteristics of the region. In Calgary, spring and autumn are considered the mildest and most convenient times for work. Whether to inspect roof durability twice a year or to stop at only one time is a personal choice. The idea is to have the roof inspected before and after wintering.
Self-inspection: Is It Worth It?
Many people ask themselves: is it worth inviting an inspector if you can spot a problem with the roof yourself? Professional roofers do not recommend doing it by yourself because the risks of self-checking a roof include:- Overlooking hidden defects or misinterpreting the condition of the roof due to a lack of experience and necessary knowledge.
- High danger and risk of injury due to the lack of experience and specialized equipment. Professional inspectors are familiar with safety measures and equipped with all the necessary tools and insurance to ensure the safety of inspecting a roof of any configuration.
- Inefficient inspection, omission of small but extremely important details that can very quickly escalate into serious roof problems.
- There is a possibility of damage to the roof as a result of careless handling during the inspection process. Roofing material requires careful handling; any wrong movement or step can cause cracks or deflections.
- Lack of attention to detail, including failure to inspect the insulation, ventilation system, and fasteners.
- There is a likelihood of increased financial costs due to inattention and omission of important nuances, which over time will turn into big and expensive trouble.
Inspection Results: Common Problems
The most frequent problems found during inspections are damage to waterproofing and leaks. These are caused by damage to the waterproofing layer or mistakes made during the installation of the elements.
Leakages are followed by damage to the roof covering. Wind, frost, ultraviolet, hail, and other vagaries of nature provoke the formation of cracks, chips, and deformations on the surface of the roof. Violations of the ventilation system are also common. They provoke the accumulation of moisture in the attic space and the formation of mould pockets.
The roof contains metal elements that are subject to corrosion processes. Violations of the structure and functionality of gutters, for example, can send water from the roof under the foundation. The erosion of the foundation will quickly put the building in a state of emergency.
Various damages to the roof, whether biological or mechanical, contribute to the structure's integrity. Any cracks, punctures, or dents, as well as the formation of pockets of microorganisms on the surface, will provoke faster wear of the roof and cause expensive repairs.
Another problem often identified during the inspection process is that windows and hatches are not airtight. Gaps in window units allow water to easily enter the premises. This problem violates the microclimate in the entire house and develops biological activity, which is extremely difficult to combat.
To summarize
A timely professional roof inspection ensures a safe, economical and reliable structure. Experienced inspectors carefully examine every inch of the roof, making informed and sound judgements about its condition and what steps must be taken to restore it quickly. Self-inspection is highly discouraged, as poor efficiency and lack of objective results will lead to serious problems and, therefore, financial waste and loss of time.
