Hi, I’m Mike from Fort Myers, FL. Getting started today.
The photo shows a roof with 3 tab asphalt shingles. While the shingles show signs of aging, The overall condition is good. There is little granule loss and no missing or loose tabs. I would suggest that it be kept clear of leaves and debris. The drip edge was in good shape and correctly installed.
Here are some asphalt shingles that are showing a little granular loss. This is important to note because the granules are first layer of defense against the elements. You can actually see the fiberglass in some of the spots. These shingles should be replaced asap.
Home has gable roof. The home also has a metal roof gutter at end is in need of repair. Gutter has become detatched at end. Metal roofs have a life expectancy of 17 to 20 years.
Roofing and roofing underlayment.
There are many types of roofing material. Some which out lasts others by many decades. The appropriate roofing material can give you a minimal amount of maintenance for years.
You must watch for over hanging vegetation. Moss or mildew build up, branches and limbs on most roofs could create an opportunity to break down the roofing material and cause leaks and create wood damage.
Reading and Writing assignment
Cool Roofs
After reading about cool roofs it was interesting to see how far technology has come. Cool roofs are made to reflect sun light and sun rays which keep the roof temperature lower than usual. This decrease in temperature also helps with energy consumption which could save home owners money. Cool roofs can reflect almost twice as much as shingle roof.
The roof pictured was inspected from the ground using a camera and binoculars. It is a 3 tab asphalt shingle and it appeared to be in good condition at the time of the inspection. Also pictured is the chimney. Flashing is present, and both flashing and mortar were in good condition at the time of the inspection. No chimney cap was install recommend having a chimney cap installed by a professional contractor.
Reading and Writing - How to perform roof inspections
For this portion of the course, I read the article on roofs and moisture.
Moisture vapor created in the home can be absorbed by the roof deck, causing it to expand and buckle shingles as the spaces between sheathing panels become smaller.
Moisture vapor can also enter the home from outside. Improper attic or roof venting practices can cause moisture from hot, humid, outdoor air to condense on roof framing. This condensation can then be moved into the home by gravity and gradient forces.
This image is from a property where I conducted a wind mitigation and 4 points inspection. As you can see property has 3 roof elevations. The main roof is gables roof with shingles. The second is a hip roof also with shingles. The third is a flat roof. There’s a cricket that connects the gable roof onto the hip roof. It has a closed valley that has been repaired. There is also another repair along the flat roof perimeter where it ends on the hip roof wall. The flashing has been covered from the repair. The areas that have been repaired are the typical weak areas where water penetration can occur due to deterioration of the components.
I am a certified residential contractor. I am interested in doing home inspections as well general contracting. I have certified to do wind mitigation reports as well as 4 points inspections, but don’t know much about home inspections, other than what I have seen as an active realtor as well in Miami Dade, Florida. I searched for an online course to learn home inspections and easily came across InterNACHI. I just started my training and my first course is roofing. I have learned so much from this course that I will recommend to anyone wanting to learn about roofing and all its components in detail.
Here’s the roof I just inspected a couple days ago.
This’s a flat roof, single-ply roll roofing. There’s no ponding, no tear and rip,no lap edge lifting, no exposed nail head,no loss of granule. But there’re some blisters on the north side of the roof,around the chimney.
From the photos I pasted you may see the gutter need to be cleaned, the down spout was clogged with leaves.
The penetration/vent looks okay. The flashing was properly installed.
The masonry chimney with crown cap, about 4 feet high, the cap has crackes and broken . The liner looks good.
this roof is 5 years old but has a few major issues. It has no drip edge or fire and ice shield which is required. Also is missing flashing in many places. Going to recommend that these issues be addressed by a licensed contractor.
Dryer Vent Safety
I see these issues a lot being in the restoration business. I would have to say it is probably the most common issue most home owners over look. I tell my customers all the time that they should have them cleaned due to them being a fire hazard. In which most of them didn’t even know that it could be come an issue.
Roof Inspection
The attached picture show several different issues that need pointed out on the inspection report. Shingles are curling at the ends with wear, roof has a double layer of shingles, and wood damage to facia and trim. Report shingles are failing consider looking into roof tear off and replacement. Replacement of damaged facia and trim.
Roof Inspection Essay
There are several types of roofing that can be used on residential housing. Asphalt shingle, clay/concrete shingles, metal, wood, or rolled roofing. Asphalt being the most commonly used among all paying close attention to detail is very important. In the roofing video provided in this lesson taking the time to cover inspecting the roof from the top to the bottom will help to make sure all areas are covered. Looking in the attic area and seeing damaged areas will many times correlate with issues found on the roof.
In South Florida shingles roofs don’t last that long due to severe weather conditions during six months of hurricane season. This shingle roof shows a big previous repair above the living room area. The condition of the tabs is poor shows granule loss and shingles are brittle. We can aldo observe rusted flashing at two areas at the eave, drip edge. this roof is from 1994, its supposed to last 30 years, but its has reached much faster the end of its life expectancy.
[ATTACH]
[/ATTACH]
The roof covering shown here is a 3 tab asphalt shingle. Shingle pattern is correct. Deck sheathing and underlayment are installed according to code. There are no visible fasteners. No visible damage. Metal ridge cap in good condition. Furnace vent is installed correctly. Rain cap and storm collar are present. Vent is installed under shingle with apron flashing.
Every Efficiency:
There are many ways to save energy in your home. Many of these suggestions are easy and most home owners do not realize the impact on their homes. Having a programable thermostat can save you up to $150 per year in energy costs. Simple things such as changing you air filters periodically, using LED lighting and being sure everything is well insulated are all energy efficient and money saving ideas.
This photo depicts the the meeting of two roof elevations. The first being an architectural shingle that appears in good condition at time of inspection with flat shingles, no exposed fasteners, no cracking and no signs of granular loss. The second roofing material is single ply rolled roofing with no signs of blistering, ponding or loss of adhesion, or granular loss. Step flashing is installed at the wall where the surfaces meet.
Reading and writing assignment.
Article #1 House Moving
House Moving is an expensive undertaking. There are however many reasons to relocate a house. Some homes are moved for environmental reasons, to escape less desirable areas or demolition. Many factors must be considered before deciding to move a house. Cost, Building codes, traffic, roads and utility lines to name a few.
Article #2 15 tools every homeowner should own
This article is a list of 15 essential tools for homeowners. The list includes the staples of most homes such as a plunger, claw hammer, adjustable wrench and tape measure. There are a couple surprises on the list that may be less common, such as a respirator or torpedo level.