Hello my name is daven brier
This is a essay on roof inspections
As I examine the roof from the ground
I can easily see that the drip edge, flashing and eaves
Are properly installed. There are no signs of improperly
Installed fasteners and the roof looks to be on good condition
Being only 6 years old. The chimney step flashing looks to be
I’m good condition as well. Overall this roof seems to be in
Great condition with no signs of wear on the asphalt shingles.
The article I chose was 10 tools to make a diy project easier.
This article helped me understand how to make projects at home more
Efficient, faster, and not as messy. I tend to do a lot of painting at home and at
Work. The article had a good idea of using skinny scaffolding to roll
Around your home instead of going up and down a ladder 100 times.
With the scaffolding I can leave the paint on it and push it around
Instead of going up and down a ladder with a chance to spill it.
I inspected the down spout. There is a down spout diverter extension attached. There is a gap between the down spout and the diverter, where water could possibly be overflowing from the down spout and pouring directly into the foundation.
Flashing
Where there are areas of a roof that are likely to leak, flashing is installed in those areas, to prevent moisture from penetrating the roof. The most commonly used material for flashing is galvanized steel. When flashing needs to adapt to a certain structure, lead can used.
I am writing my essay on Burglar resistant homes. This research article explains helpful tips and deterrence’s to keep burglars away. I believe protecting your home from burglars is very important. The best piece of information I gained from this article was hiding your spare key. Most people I know hide spare keys in obvious places. This article suggests keeping a spare key at a neighbors house. In summary, I learned good information that I can use as a home inspector to pass on to future clients.
In this photo you can clearly see a cracked cap fiberglass shingle. This could lead to water intrusion into the roof sheathing and cause damage to the interior structure. This issue should be repaired by a licensed professional.
I have chosen to research “Buying A Forclosure” I have performed a few remodels and a couple of Insurance mold remediations. And living in Florida has interested me in the process of buying, remodeling, and reselling these properties. Since the last hurricane there has been many properties with multiple damage issues.
Here you can see the flashing on the bottom corner of a skylight. There are missing nails and the corner of the flashing has lifted with no sealant is present. This may lead to moisture intrusion to the roof. Should be further evaluated and repaired or replaced by a qualified contractor.
Counter and step flashing around chimneys and other roof penetrations are easily missed items during re-roofing, often by the hired “professionals”. They are critical to the overall weather proofing of your home as they provide proper water deterrence away from roof penetration points.
As a newer home owner I just read the article on 15 tools homeowners should have. I already have the tools that were listed but found it interesting I never new the correct name for some. I have three different sizes of levels but did not know the one I have is called a “Torpedo level”, always wondered what the third bubble was for but now I know. I think the list should be longer, I guess it all depends on where you live and how old the home is.
Attic Area Inspection
I found very interesting learning in detail about how to inspect the attics in residential properties, particularly in the steep-slopes.
Attic is the right place to find leaks, specially when the outside roof inspection shows some issues.
When you can they see the daylight, it usually means that the water will find its way in.
When finding the roof penetrations, and they are long-term, the leakages should present mold growth, by appearing dark staining on the underside of the roof sheathing and the roof framing members.
By using a moisture meter will show that Decay fungi become active at about 20% moisture in materials and they start to reproduce at about 27%.
Other issues you might find in the attic are: Ducts that suppose to terminate outside the house and they are not, Vents not properly connected, Poor insulation systems, Poor connections and Rafter issues.
**Roof Protrusions
** **Background**
As part of a general roof inspection, all roof protrusions on this roof were inspected. This roof is on a house built in 1996 and is subjected to extreme weather changes., from 101 Fahrenheit summer days to snow packs during winter
I**nspection
**
This roof vent shows signs of earlier sealant repair that has failed. The sealant is missing showing a ½” crack with exposed fasteners. Any water ingress will at best collect against fasteners leading to corrosion. Water or snow melt can lead to water freezing under the vent. Subsequent expansion of ice will negatively affect the fasteners.
Report/Recommendation
It is recommended that a qualified roofing contractor repair or replace the roof vents and flashing on this roof. The roofing contractor can then also evaluate the general condition of the shingles.
I was inspecting the corner of my house and notice the metal roofing is starting to bow upwards. I then realized that is was due to nail popping and the wind in the area that had caused this. I suggested it needed to be re-nailed.
Read an article on the underlayment of roofs and learned that most asphalt shingles have a fiberglass layer in them. And that the purpose of an underlayment of the shingles acts as a moisture barrier. Therefore it ends up saving you money in the long run because you have no leaks and do not have to replace the shingles as soon.
This house has a fairly solid and clean appearance to the roof, however during my inspection I noticed that the flashing in the valleys of the porch seemed to be either missing or not installed correctly. There are no gutters on the house at all and it is a heavy rain area. I noticed quite a bit of roofing gravel in the dirt in front of the house and quite a bit built up under the back porch as well. I would highly recommend that gutters be installed and the roof valleys be inspected by a qualified roofing expert.
Attached is a picture of a gutter system. Once I was on the roof it became evident that the gutters in some areas were filled with debris. All debris should be cleared/removed from gutters to allow for proper water drainage. I recommended removal of debris to prevent blockage in the gutter system.
Study Essay
In the Gallery I read the section involving chimney height. This section covered the rules for how tall a chimney should be based on the roof around it. It seems to state that the chimney should be a minimum of 3 feet taller than the highest part of the roof directly around it and also that going out 10 feet from the chimney the top of the chimney should be 2 feet higher than any roof surface 10 feet from the chimney.
From the gallery I observed a picture of asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles are made of a base material such as paper, cellulose, wood fiber, and a few other materials. The base material is the first layer followed by asphalt body or coating, then surface granules, followed by a self sealing strip.
Inspection Essay:
All attic spaces require some type of ventilation. The attached picture reveals a newer construction home with both, soffit and ridge vents, as well as, gable ventilation methods. Based upon a ground level inspection, all soffits and ridge vents appear to be in satisfactory condition. Roof ventilation is important as it allows moisture-laden air to be evacuated from the attic space, in addition to balancing the temperature of the roof coverings and sheathing with that of the outside air, which can help prevent a reduction in the lifespan of asphalt roof coverings.
Research Essay:
“Mastering Roof Inspections: Flashing, Part 1” -
Roof conditions are a significant part of the home inspection. The roof inspection includes several areas where a thorough knowledge is expected in order to provide an adequate inspection. I am beginning to walk through the “Mastering Roof Inspection” articles in order to gain as much knowledge as possible. This particular article on flashing was wonderfully informative in defining the different types of flashing most commonly used. It also contained great insight into the tendency of corrosion for different materials.
