Upon climbing onto my roof I check the number of layers of shingles, there was one layer and the drip edge was present and properly installed. I then inspected my service mast and vent stack flashings. I observed that all of the flashings I checked had exposed fasteners. I checked out the rest of the roof and found it to be in fairly good shape with a few hail damage spots but nothing serious.
I selected “doing damage during a home inspection". I found it gave me a paradigm shift. I was always ready to accept blame and responsibility for the damage. This article made me realize that I actually did do the client a service by finding something that was not in the proper condition and it is better that I found it now rather than them finding it shortly after they moved in. It is important to note here that I we ae not talking about an inspector causing damage but rather something breaking during normal use.
The picture below shows the main chimney for the house that meets the minimum standard of being at least three feet above the roof. The chimney fails the other requirement of being two feet higher than any roof within 10 feet horizontally. This issue could create excess heat around the roof area that could lead to fire damage.
This is a photo of the soffit and fascia. Both are in good condition. There is no guttering system. None is required for this roof.
![0624161934[1].jpg](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/3X/9/f/9fce4c7d206a87e38cfd642c1f4dc2d5ac76e092.jpeg)
Essay portion of “How to Perform Roof Inspections” course by Michael Alvarez:
I decided to research more on roofing drainage and guttering systems. The drainage aspect peaked my interest because I wanted to know what kind of damage a poor drainage system could cause to the homes foundation. I found that excess moisture in the soil can cause soil heaving. Too much moisture in the soil will cause it to expand and can lift the home or building. This can cause extensive damage. Therefore it is important to maintain proper drainage around your home exterior and interior.
Sincerely,
Michael Alvarez
Here is a pic I got from a few years back. $1.2 mil house on the Tennessee River and the Realtor told me not to worry about getting on the roof “cuz it looks just fine from the ground”. My customers ended up getting that $1.2 mil house for $800K…
Taking the Nachi courses on-line and visiting their Library and resource labs are very useful and re-teaches one things that they learned before but just forgot… Things that you were taught but because you just don’t see them on a day to day basis you sort of forget about them. These courses help jog your memory a little.
The fascia board has come away from the rafter tails. The fascia board also has been grooved to act as a receiver for the metal over hang cover. The fascia board and rafter tails need further inspection for signs of rotting.
PeterGiverc
ATRservicesLLC
Inspection of existing barrel type roof:
The roof system appears to be sound and installed properly with the exception of lower South East corner above garage door where there appears to be a cracked/missing tile.This may be a water intrusion point; potentially damaging soffit, sheathing and facia components.
Recommending repair by a roofing systems professional.
Aerogel, the name first intrigued me. Then reading up on the product it is definitely the future of insulation. The product has very high R value due to it is low density. An amazing fact is that a 1 cubic inch piece if flattened out would cover a football field.
Researching and learning about sinkholes in Florida.
Being a Certified Florida Residential Contractor; Ive seen countless signs of potential warning signs of future problems to homes. A residential roof drainage system which is not adequately disbursing water runoff away from the homes foundation will have costly and potentially dangerous consequences. In some instances, it can only take a couple of years where the run off water under washes paver walkways, foundations and floods into crawlspaces which deteriorate the attached support components. A few warning signs worth mentioning are standing water near exterior walls of home, uneven or sinking/shifting of walkways or pavers; usually towards the home, although sometimes caused by near by trees, which probably is another forum. Hair line cracks both visible on exterior walls of the structure as well as on the inside; flooring sinking.
Delivering the potentially bad news to the homeowner is tough; they seem shocked at first from the news then shocked again from learning what it will cost to repair the damage which could’ve been prevented by simply diverting roof run off water in most cases; minimal maintenance cost and another shocker. Thanks for reading.
Hi Everyone,
My reading was on the topic of Collar Ties vs. Rafter Ties and the functions they perform. I was surprised to learn that the main function of collar ties is to resist rafter separation from the ridge bear during periods of unbalanced loads such as wind, snow, etc. While very important, collar ties are not required in certain areas and also do not help in the prevention of wall spreading.
Rafter ties on the other hand are tension ties for the lower third of the opposing gable rafters and they are intended to resist the outward thrust of the rafter under load. Unlike collar ties, rafter ties are what keep walls from spreading due to the weight of the roof.
Also, from reading this article I found that it is key to check local jurisdiction to see if collar ties are required for the area you are inspecting.
How to inspect a roof system: This house has a truss system roof with a 7:12 slope. It also has an over frame roof tied in from the garage with the same slope. The shingles on this roof are a 3- tab asphalt type with an open valley on either side of garage tie-in. The attic has a vent at both ends of gable and a filtered ridge vent. Drip edge is present all around and from talking to owners, the roof is approximately 10+ years old. Both plumbing vent flashings are in good condition with no defects noted along with the B-vent flashing from the furnace, no defects noted. No signs of leaks in attic. This roof system is in good condition at this time.
Roof – This single layer composite roof is on a 2004 manufactured home in Kuna Idaho. The greater roof area was solid to walk on and did not seem to sag in between the rafters. There were no missing shingles, though many showed signs of edge wear or fraying and few showed signs of partial delamination or separation from lower layer. Flashing on eaves and rakes was correct and in good shape as well as the valleys. Base and counter flashing was present and without defect on step down areas. Boots and flashings around penetrations through the roof were correctly installed and showed no signs of deterioration or defect. In 2009 these seamless gutters were installed along all lower edges of the roof, as well as both front and back porch awnings. They were free of debris and securely mounted. Downspouts were also present on all four corners of the house, securely mounted and positioned to flow water away from the structure.
http://https://web.mail.comcast.net/service/home/~/?auth=co&loc=en_US&id=776982&part=2
Essay on How to inspect a roof course.
The roof exhibited in the photo is a single layer 3 tab shingle roof that has an expired life and exhibits major deterioration, such as granule loss, curling or loose tabs, exposed nails and brittle and cracked tabs. The report concerning this roof directed the buyer or owner to ascertain the professional opinion of a licensed roofing contractor after further examination.
Essay on How to inspect a roof course.
The roof exhibited in the photo is a single layer 3 tab shingle roof that has an expired life and exhibits major deterioration, such as granule loss, curling or loose tabs, exposed nails and brittle and cracked tabs. The report concerning this roof directed the buyer or owner to ascertain the professional opinion of a licensed roofing contractor after further examination.
My roof inspections photo shows a plumbing vent pipe and boot flashing. The flashing is tar covered which indicates a problem with the flashing that may be causing leakage. Unfortunately the tar covering is a temporary repair that will need to be done over and over again. Replacing the boot flashing is the best and most permanent repair.
AFCI Breakers
Arc-fault circuit interrupter breakers (AFCIs) are special circuit breakers that are now required in new construction or significant remodeling projects. These breakers are designed to trip out when they sense electrical shorts (arcs) in branch wiring.
For example, during routine construction an electrical cable running through a wall stud is nicked by a drywall nail or screw. Dangerous arching could occur and a serious risk of fire now exists. If the circuit is protected by an AFCI breaker, it will trip out when arching occurs and alert the home owner of a problem. This is a significant safety advancement for electrical systems.
Depending how thorough of an inspection you care to give, according to Internachi standards, I think a homeowner would welcome a little more info on the heating system in their new home. First of all, as mentioned in the article in the internachi library, you give the particulars of the furnace. That being, the brand, the btu"s and how efficient. usually evident on the data plate inside the burner compartment. you could also state the filter size and if it is gas, propane or electric. You could also mention the ductwork. Is it metal, fiberboard or just a plenum with round pipe or flex pipe coming out of it. Look for all ductwork to be sealed at joints either by an approved UL listing tape or a mastic" duct butter". If flex duct is used, look for sharp bends, more than a 90 degree turn] and holes in the insulation and if duct taped and straped at all connections. If you really want to be thorough, you could easily check inside the duct to see how clean it is and recommend a duct cleaning simply by removing the end cap off the end of the duct and check with a flashlight. I believe a HVAC system is probably the most expensive appliance in a home and certainly one of the most important items in a home. I think a client would welcome a detailed summary of the system.
Part of the “How to Perform Roof Inspections” was a section on drainage which had to do with guttering and downspouts. The image below clearly shows that a downspout had separated from diverter which is intended to carry water away from the house and foundation. As the weather has been very dry recently it can be seen that the dry soil has retracted away from the foundation which leaves an easy access point for water to travel into. The diverter is immediately adjacent to the downspout, reattaching the diverter would be a quick and easy fix.
