I am selling my home. Will the home inspector list any issues with my roof?

In the closing process during the selling of a home, the buyers typically have a home inspection performed to ensure the home is in good condition. While it's not required to get a home inspection, unless there is a contingency on the sale, it's still a great idea to have an unbiased, experienced, and knowledgeable party look at the home. Home inspectors will have to look at every aspect of the home, but will they take a look at the roof?

What Does A Home Inspector Look At?

While the depth of inspection you receive can vary, the Standards of Practice of home inspectors lay out the elements that are required to be looked at.

- Structural elements include the home's foundation, flooring, walls, ceilings, stairs, windows, and drainage systems.

- Safety features such as smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, garage doors, and stair rails.

- The yard, water drainage patterns, driveways, fences, sidewalks, patios, and decks.

- The condition of roofing materials, any necessary repairs, ventilation, chimneys, and gutters.

- Exterior walls of the house, including siding, paint, outdoor lights, and outdoor power outlets.

- Insulation, ventilation, and water leaks in the attic.

- Indoor plumbing, including damaged pipes, water pressure, leaks, sinks, toilets, tubs, and showers.

- Electrical wiring to see if it is up to code and if it is working properly.

- Appliances' functioning, including microwaves, stoves, dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, and dryers.

- Heating and cooling systems to ensure all is working correctly, including your water heater.

- The basement, if applicable.

- The condition of the garage, if necessary.

While a home inspector does a look at your roof, the report from the home inspector may not be thorough. We have found that most home inspectors will not climb on your roof to perform an inspection. The home inspector has to look at so many aspects of the home, they may not take an in-depth look at your roof. They will simply list anything that looks like a potential concern.

Instead of leaving it up to a home inspector, utilize a roofing contractor to perform a roofing inspection. An experienced roofing contractor will spend the necessary time needed on the roof looking at the roof's structural integrity, the interior of the home, the roofing materials, and the workmanship.

- For the structure, the roofing contractor will be looking for any leaks, rot, rust, missing elements, and sagging.

- To check the interior, they will inspect the home's ceilings, walls, and attic to check for any water stains, mold, or active leaks.

- When looking at the roofing materials, the inspector will be looking for any rust, nail pops, areas that need more caulk, damaged flashing, missing shingles, and any areas with moss growth.

- While looking at all aspects of the roof, the inspector will be looking at the overall appearance of the roof, the roof's condition, if materials were installed properly, and the integrity of all materials.

The roof is an essential component of the well-being of a home. In addition to a home inspection, have a roofing contractor complete a roof inspection to get an overall view of the health of your home.

ARAC Roof It Forward offers a free video roof inspection so we can show you videos and photos of the damage on your roof from the safety of the ground. As we show you the videos and pictures, we will recommend any necessary repairs and go over the associated costs. Our goal at Roof It Forward is to provide our community with high-quality roofing solutions to keep you and your family safe in your home. Schedule your free video inspection today!