Article choices:
“Mastering Roof Inspections: Flashing, Part 1,” by Kenton Shepard and Nick Gromicko
“Roofing Underlayment Types,” by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard
I chose the above two articles due to my own experiences which have shown that a roof can look near-perfect from a short distance away, but can demonstrate issues with both underlayment and/or flashing that if left alone in the long term will result in rot, water/moisture ingress, and expensive repairs.
Of the three types of roofing underlayment, my personal choice is the non-bitumen synthetic. The one that comes to mind immediately is DuPont’s Roofliner product. This synthetic roof underlayment comes in 48” x 250’ rolls, and there are many advantages to it:
DuPont’s product is both stronger and weighs less than #30 roofing felt, resisting both tearing and wind better. It is more durable in climate extremes, more resistant to heat than felt, and will not degrade over time like oil based products. The four foot roll size translates to fewer overlaps and is extremely difficult to tear, even intentionally.
Flashing, when properly installed, is integral to a roof’s long term performance. I find the standards in regards to flashing very vague: (from the article) “The IRC doesn’t give specific flashing details, it just says it has to be corrosion resistant and installed in a manner that prevents moisture entry.” Roof location and the climate it will be exposed to are very important in determining what type of material is best suited to insure long life and continued performance.
This roof is 1 layer of asphalt shingle covering. Roof slope is 5:12. A fully closed valley with interwoven shingles extending 4 inches beyond roof peak. No visible nail popups and granular erosion was not noticed. Some visible damage on front corner of roof, possibly from tree limbs falling from nearby tree. Ridge caps are standard 3 tab shingles trimmed down. Galvanized steel drip edge flashing. All roof penetrations were properly installed with flashing. A soffit and ridge vent system was used to ventilate the attic. No gutters or downspouts were used, but the eave overhang is 3 feet to direct water away from foundation.
This is 4:12 hip roof and has 1 layer of architectural shingle with underlayment on top of drip edge along eaves and under drip edge along rake. It is a soffit and ridge style venting system with 2 plumbing vents with neoprene boots that are in good shape, 1 chimney vent type B gas that is not 3 feet tall and would be reported not meeting the minimum height this is a concern with drafting recommend carbon monoxide detectors be in place on all properties. Gutters are sloping toward down spouts and has 4x3" down spouts that can handle 1200sf of roof and no ice dames noted at this time. Over all this roof is in good shape
I read the 2 articles for Ants and attic pull down ladders.
Ants can be a destructive force in a home. Carpenter ants are known for nesting in dry or moist wood, but prefer moist wood. Leaks from pipes cause moisture damage and attracting ants. Visible trails of ants is a sure sign of an infestation. Frass deposites are another sign of ants. Sealing up cracks in the foundation and repairing water leaks will help to keep ants away. Removal of any wood on the ground around the home will discourage ants from nesting.
Attic pull down ladders are commonly installed by homeowners and not professionals, causing a number of problems. Insufficient sealing and insulation
can cause a major air leak for heating and cooling of the home. Insufficient nails or screws are sometimes used, which can weaken and make ladder dangerous to use. Some homeowners will weaken the structure of the roof by removing trusses. In review of the installation of attic pull down ladders, either follow manufacturer instructions of installation or allow a professional to do the job.
jnorman3
(James Norman, WA State License #1515)
2509
Attached is a picture of the roof over the garage and next to the second story bedrooms. The roofing looks to be in decent shape for a 9 year old roof. The flashing looks to be in good condition. The siding is cut back and does not touch the roof. There is a kick out at the lower edge, by the apron flashing, to ensure that water does not get back up under the siding.
jnorman3
(James Norman, WA State License #1515)
2510
The first article I read was Roofing. The article was written with the consumer in mind. It related how maintenance played an important factor in getting the most out of your roof’s 15 to 20 year life span. The article explained the different types of roof and the types of materials that made up a roof.
The second article I read was Roofing Underlayment. The article covered the types of underlayment. It explained the differences in the types of underlayment, how they were made, installation, applications etc…
Roof Inspection Inspection and Writing Assignment
Here are two pictures of the roof covering of my house. These are architectural asphalt shingles, approximately 10 years old. By way of a framing square, torpedo level and tape measure, the house has a 5:12 pitch. The house is gable style, with ridge vents along the whole peak ridge and over the garage with breathable slotted eaves around the whole perimeter. The valleys are interwoven and I can see ends of the flashing emptying into the gutter. All lead boots are secure, as well as the exhaust vents from the kitchen and master bathroom. No problem with the drip edge. No signs of nails popping up and no other kind of defect noted.
In these photos you can see the difference between these 2 roofs. They are side by side with the same design so it was a perfect way to do an exterior comparison between them. The roof with the layer of snow covering it completely has a total of 3 roof vents. The one with the snow melting has only 2 and on the other side of the roof. I believe this and improper insulation can cause the attic to have a warm spot which melts the snow on the roof.
Standing water was found on the flat roof. It should evaporate within 48 hours after it rains. If standing water remains after 48 hours, then the roof installation is likely substandard. This defect is a defect and conducive to water penetration of the roof and materials and could be very costly to repair. A qualified roofing contractor should evaluate and repair if necessary to prevent prolonged standing water.
Just wrapping up the roofing module and found it very informative. I have been learning hands on for a few months assisting my buddy who is a master inspector and the module put a lot more detail on what I have learned in the field. I have learned that the flashing has be assessed much closer than I had originally thought as there is multiple applications in different areas of the roof. Recently caught a missing kickout flashing on a home that I would have never noticed before.
The first article I read was Roofing. I felt the article was written with homeowners in mind to help them understand how a roof system works, what makes up a roof and what kind of materials get used in a roof.
The second article I read was master of roofing: photography. This article gives a brief description on how and why using cameras and camera equipment in a roof inspections helps identify problems from afar as well as give you something to show a client if asked. I believe a camera will be a very useful tool for any inspector.
Attached are pictures of a masonry chimney that needs point-up, roof is a rolled torch-on roof with a moderate slope, the roof was replaced, it is new, per manufactures requirements after a period of exposure to natural elements to cure a reflective protection paint was applied.
This is my inspection assignment for roof inspections.
The first picture is taken in the attic. It shows a gable roof with a structural ridge and rafters. Collar ties are place approximately every other rafter, although in some cases they are placed every three rafters. Collar ties should be placed every two rafters to prevent uplift of the roof. The plywood panels are installed with the grain perpendicular to the rafter boards. Although difficult to see, roofing nails fully penetrate the plywood underlayment as is recommended. Also visible is the gable vent which is sized 1 sq ft. per 300 sf of area as is required for a gable vent with soffit vents.
The second picture is of the eaves. Although difficult to see, the insulation has been pulled back from the soffit vents to allow for proper air circulation.
About 30% insurance premium payouts are for hail damage to insured property, although unusual in some serious hailstorms bodily injury and deaths were reported.
For insurance purposes hail damage is classified in two categories, functional or cosmetic. If the damage can diminish the ability of the roof to shed water or reduce the expected long term service life, this damage is classified as functional damage, all other damages are classified as cosmetic.
Functional damage varies with different roof coverings; additionally size shape and angle of impact contribute to type and severity of the damage.
While doing a home warranty inspection I came across areas of significant rafter spreads. The one that struck me the most was this rafter that was warped and not attached to the ridge board like it should. I am finding more and more of these deficiencies on new homes that are built here around the Dallas Texas area. I recommended the client to get with their builder to replace the rafter.
The articles I have chosen to discuss were A Garage Inspection and Attic Pull down Ladders. As for inadequate metal hangers (Hangers), I recently came across a few at one of my inspections. Most rafters had hangers that were undersized and didn’t have enough fasteners. It was a catastrophe waiting to happen. Also the attic pull down ladder was just barely hanging on to the ceiling. I recommended to the clients to upgrade their ladder to a safer and fire protected version and I recommended a structural engineer to evaluated the attic structure.
This is my reading assignment for the roof inspcetin section. I read the following articles: Roof and Drainage System Maintenance
The reasons for replacing a shingle roof are:
Age
Slope not steep enough
General deterioration
Failure
Storm damage.
Reasons for replacing a roof drainage system include:
Sagging gutters
Popping fasteners
Water spills over the edges
Leaking at the gutter end caps or downspouts
Rust
Saturated or eroded soil within 5 ft. of the foundation walls.
Leaf guards should be installed to prevent accumulation of debris and blockage.
Roofing repairs may be covered by a warranty.
Roof Underlayment Types
There are 3 basic types:
Asphalt saturated pfelt
Rubberized asphault
Non bitumin synthetic
The most common for steep slpe applications is black asphalt saturated paper.
For low slope roofs (2:12 to 4:12), felt underlayment should overlap by 2 inches.
Fastening is done with staples, except in high wind areas where plastic cap nails are used.
FAILURE OF ASPHALT SATURATED FELT IS CAUSED BY POOR QUALITY, LOSS OF VOLATILE S,UV EXPOSURE OR INSTALLATION DAMAGE.
aS OF 2014, THIS TYPE OF UNDERLAYMENT WILL NOT BE USED. iT WILL BE REPLACED BY RUBBERIZED ASPHALT, POLYMER MODIFIED BITUMIN OR NON BITUMIN SYNTHETICS.
AS AN INSPECTOR i AM NOT REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF ROOF UNDERLAYMENT.
Tom Bianchi
This response is to complete the requirements for the how to inspect the roof course. This image is showing the underside of shed roof belonging to a patio. There is obvious and substantial water damage both to the sheathing as well as strucural lumber. Visully from the ground ssing flashing and improperly fastened metal sheeting arr likely to blame. I would strongly recomend repair both to the roof covering as well as underlyiig sheatingand possibly rafters as well.
Well I chose this article do to you he fact I have aluminum wiring in my house that was built in 1965. Aluminum is 55 times more likely to have fire hazard conditions at contction. I learned a lot about this subject and realized my only real option is copalum crimp connections for this repair in my home.
Standing water was found on the flat roof. It should evaporate within 48 hours after it rains. If standing water remains after 48 hours, then the roof installation is likely substandard. This defect is a defect and conducive to water penetration of the roof and materials and could be very costly to repair. A qualified roofing contractor should evaluate and repair if necessary to prevent prolonged standing water.
