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What to Look Out for in a Roof When Buying a Home | Fortified Roofing

06/28/2021

What to Look Out for in a Roof When Buying a Home: The Ultimate Guide

When looking to buy a new home, most buyers typically pay the most attention to its interior, including the shape of the floor, the condition of the appliances, its amenities, furnishing, and similar.

However, this often leaves one very important area ignored – the roof. As one of the integral parts of a home that serves to protect everyone inside, the roof should always be at the forefront of a buyer’s consideration.

You want to make sure that it’s solid, sturdy, and most importantly, capable of withstanding the outside elements. After all, it is one of the priciest features of any home, so it goes without saying that it should be thoroughly inspected. 

With this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the biggest factors to consider before saying ”yes” to your new home.

How Old is the Roof?

While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with an older roof, it’s still important to make sure it hasn’t been affected by age or damaged in one way or another. The best way to do that is by checking if there are any deformities on the roof, as this is an indicator that the roof is quite worn out.

Another way to know about the condition of the roof is by simply asking the current homeowners to tell you about its lifespan or any previous repairs that have been done.

Roofs can be made from a number of different materials, such as composite, tin, cedar shingles, metal, rubber, and many others, all with different characteristics and lifespans. If, for example, the roof is made from composite shingles, it’s likely to last longer with no need for frequent repairs, while some other materials might require more work.

Does It Have an Appropriate Ventilation System?

If the home you’re looking to purchase has a solid new rooftop that checks all your boxes, but its ventilation system leaves a lot to be desired, it’s only a matter of time before you’re faced with serious issues.

You want to buy a home with a proper ventilation system that allows the air to circulate the home more easily and naturally, and this is something you should never compromise on.

An inadequate ventilation system can cause many costly issues down the road, such as the roof overheating and deteriorating, and not to mention the moisture that may accumulate and easily lead to mold formation.

What Is the Condition of the Seepage System?

The seepage system consists of downspouts, drainage pipes, and gutters. As you’re probably aware, gutters are incredibly important for your home, which is why you should never neglect to inspect their shape.

In most cases, they just need to be cleaned out so that the water can run smoothly, but if you notice any serious damage to them, this can lead to enormous water damage on the roof, as well as spread to your home’s interior later on.

Another thing you should pay attention to is the drainage pipes placed under the roof. This is an excellent way to inspect the roof’s condition. However, you should never attempt to do this yourself, but rather let expert roofers do it.

Are There Any Breaks or Leaks?

The last thing you’d want is to buy a house – and only later find out it has leaks. Why? Because this can severely damage the structure of the entire house and lead to some unwanted additional expenses. It is vital to carefully inspect the entire rooftop, valleys, and smoke chimneys for any leak points before the purchase. 

Leaking can harm your furniture, completely demolish the paint, as well as your walls. The most frustrating thing, though, is that oftentimes, it can be really difficult to figure out the exact source of the leak, as it’s not always obvious to an untrained eye.

So, to be on the safe side, make sure to have your professional roofer inspect everything and confirm the house is completely leak-free before you decide to finalize the purchase.

What About Mold?

Unfortunately, mold can form almost anywhere. You can find it between walls, around the windows and pipes, under the flooring, and sometimes even in less visible spots. Mold thrives in places with lots of moisture, and the primary reason for mold formation is usually an inadequate ventilation system, but it can also form due to water leakage.

Finding mold on the rooftop or in the attic is a very bad sign. Not only does it affect the home’s overall appearance and curb appeal, but it also causes foul odors that can make it almost impossible to live there. 

And if that isn’t enough, exposure to mold can cause many health issues as well, including eye and throat irritation, nasal stuffiness, coughing, and more. Your best bet is to call professionals to inspect the house for mold and hold off on buying the house until it’s inspected and any potential problem is resolved.

Are the Rooftop Downspouts Fully Functional?

And lastly, you should also check all the rooftop downspouts to make sure that they’re not releasing water straight into the ground but rather in the soak wells and that they are not blocked.

You want to look around for any signs of previous flooding or excessive water pooling in the roof downspouts, as this is an indicator that the soak wells are the wrong size or in need of cleaning, which can prove to be very costly.

It is very important to be extra careful when purchasing a new home. A detailed inspection is your guarantee that there aren’t any hidden issues waiting for you down the road. Inspecting a new home before making it your financial responsibility is the smartest thing you can do.

Are You Ready to Buy?

When buying a new house, the most important thing to keep in mind is to always look a little deeper and not focus only on the attractive interior and exterior. While it’s important to fall in love with the way your home looks, it’s also vital to make sure it is structurally sound, as well, and that its most important feature – the roof – is in good shape.
Luckily, with your best local roof replacement company on the job, you’ll never have to worry about having a faulty roof. Give the experts at Fortified Roofing a call, and we’ll inspect it in close detail to ensure that it can keep you safe for many years to come.