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Originally Posted On: https://www.redemptionroofing.com/how-often-should-you-get-a-roof-inspection/
Did you know the United States has enough demand for roofing contractor services to create over $57 billion in revenue every year? To provide for all of this demand, there are more than 81,000 roofing contractor businesses throughout the country. More than 264,000 people work at these businesses to provide for all of our roofing needs.
That means that there are a lot of businesses that people turn to when they need a roof inspection among other things. But when exactly should a homeowner schedule an inspection for their roof?
Knowing when to schedule repairs can be easier than knowing when to schedule an inspection. After all, if something is broken, you know it is a good time to call someone to fix it. But what signs should you pay attention to when it comes to knowing when to schedule a roof inspection?
Read on to learn about the most vital indicators that your roof needs an inspection soon!
The Three Times You Need Roof Inspections
There are three main kinds of situations in which you will need a roof inspection from a company near you. We will discuss each of these types of situations below.
The first case is for your annual roof inspection. Sometimes, you need a roof inspection for no other reason than that it has been a full year since your last inspection.
Second, you may need a roof inspection if your roof is getting older. No matter how well your old roof seems to be performing, you will want to get an inspection for it as it gets older and is more likely to develop damage.
The third case in which you will need a roof inspection is when your roof has suffered damage of some kind. Below, we will discuss scheduling roof inspections for storm damage, vegetation damage, and for potential security concerns.
The Value of an Annual Roof Inspection
Most people understand that if they never inspect their car, they are gambling on developing a problem at an inopportune moment. However, not everyone appreciates that the same basic principle also applies to a roof inspection. That is why it is so important to have regular roof inspections at recurring intervals.
One of the great things about an annual roof inspection is that it can help you detect problems before they develop enough to become visible. The problems that your roof can develop tend to start out small. If they are not detected, they tend to get worse and worse until they become noticeable at a glance.
In other cases, homeowners will notice that their roof is developing problems when they realize that their home insulation is degrading and their energy bills are going up.
An annual inspection will help you discover tiny problems while they are still small and can be fixed with a minimum of stress and cost.
Without an annual inspection, you are more likely to end up hiring repair services. At that point, there is a good chance you will pay more for repairs than you ever would have for a simple inspection.
On top of that, your annual inspections will tend to be as general as possible. When you schedule an inspection for a specific reason, roof contractors tend to pay special attention to that reason. For example, if your roof is missing some shingles, they will tend to focus their attention on this obvious problem.
When you schedule an annual inspection without any specific damage for contractors to inspect, they will tend to focus more on your whole roof. That means that annual inspections may have the best chance of finding problems developing in places where you might not expect them.
Schedule Roof Inspections for an Aging Roof
You might have already had your annual inspection. But if you notice that your roof seems to be getting older, you might want to schedule another one. Depending on your situation, you might want to act as soon as possible before your roof becomes so old that you need to replace it.
Most houses have roofs that last somewhere between 15 and 30 years. If you are considering scheduling an inspection because of an aging roof, you might want to check how long it has been since your roof was installed.
You might also want to schedule a roof inspection if you notice that your home seems to be getting draftier. As your roof gets older, it will start to allow more and more of the elements outside to enter your home.
Even if you do not notice feeling colder in your home, you might notice that you are consuming much more energy than usual. That can be another sign that your insulation is failing.
In some cases, you can repair an aging roof or fill in little gaps in its insulation. In other cases, you might discover that your roof will soon need a replacement.
However, it is much better to find out about that in advance. You don’t want to wait until you need an emergency roof replacement and are living in a home with failed insulation.
Get a Roofing Inspection After Storm Damage
If your roof has suffered damage from a storm, you will want to schedule an inspection right away.
Some aspects of storm damage may be obvious to the naked eye. However, there may be further storm damage that will not be apparent until a professional performs an inspection. You may also need an inspection in order to file an insurance claim.
Roofing Inspections for Vegetation Damage
Although everyone understands storm damage, some people are less familiar with the idea of vegetation damage to a roof. If you look at many roofs, you will find that little plants are growing in their gutters. Roofing contractors sometimes find whole trees growing on parts of the roof that people rarely examine.
When these plants are left to grow, they will spread their roots farther and farther. These roots will attempt to dig into your roof and break it into easier pieces to manage.
If you address this problem quickly, you might only have to replace a few shingles on your roof or a section of your gutters. However, if you ignore this problem long enough, these plants might even penetrate your roof membrane.
If that happens, then what starts as minor vegetation damage can open a hole into your home that leads to water damage and more.
On top of that, it is unlikely you will notice right away when a plant penetrates your roof membrane. You could end up with weeks or even months of minor damage before the problem gets serious enough for you to notice by accident.
If you have plants growing in your gutters or on your roof, make sure to schedule an inspection to take care of it!
Roofing Inspections for Security Concerns
Although not everyone knows it, the roof can be an ideal place for someone to break into a house. The more weakened your roof is, the easier a point of entry it can be.
If someone does choose to use your roof as a point of entry, you might end up with significant damage as a result. At that point, you will want to schedule an inspection and you may also need repairs.
However, you might also want to schedule an inspection if you are concerned about the possibility that someone will use your roof as a point of entry. The better the condition of your roof, the less likely people are to target it as a potential point of entry.
Finding the Right Roofing Company
Knowing when to schedule a roof inspection is great, but you also need to know which company to hire. One great way to assess your roofing company options is by looking at written reviews online. If you find a company with a lot of complaints in the reviews, then you might want to hire a roofing company with sterling reviews instead.
Understand How Often You Should Get a Roof Inspection
Most people know that they should get a roof inspection sometimes, but they do not always know when. We hope learning about the most important times to schedule a roofing inspection has been helpful for you. The better you take care of your roof, the longer it will last and the lower your long-run costs will be.
To learn more about how to find the best roof inspection services for your situation, reach out and get in touch with us here!
