Recently a Charlotte home inspector found a problem on a porch roof while doing a Waxhaw home inspection. The problem with this roof was that there was troff on the front edge of the roof and no where for the water to go, The water is going to trapped and run down the wall. This could lead to mold and deteriation of the wall. If you have any home inspection or roof inspection questions, please contact Preston Sandlin at http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com

While performing a home inspection in Chantilly, a neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte home inspector Preston Sandlin noticed a roof that was in need of replacement. How do you know when you need a new roof? The following are some things that home inspectors typically look for. Leaking roofs, poor drainage, and clogged gutters and downspouts can lead to significant water damage inside your home. We have listed two ways to help determine if you need a new roof. If you need assistance with determining if you need a new roof, please contact us and we will happy to send a licensed and bonded member of our knowledgeable team to your home .

Outside Roof Inspection
Inspecting a roof from outside is very simple. All that is needed is a pair of binoculars and a viewing point that is unobstructed by other buildings or trees. Following is a checklist of problem signs you can look for during an outside roof inspection.

Blistered, curled or split shingles.
Loose or missing shingles or tiles.
Loose nails.
Exposed nails (can lead to leaks in the roof).
Dark patches on asphalt shingles and/or large amounts of granules in the rain gutters (the granular coating is wearing away).
Sagging either on the ridges or in the center of the roof.
Broken or loose shingles at the ridge lines and hip lines.
Rusty or corroded metal (flashing) and loose shingles in the valleys, plumbing vents or near chimneys. It may be necessary to remove excess debris and leaves to inspect thoroughly (and lots of leaf debris can cause damage to these sensitive areas of the roof).
Rusty metal or loose shingles in locations where a vertical side of the house meets the roof Overflowing gutters or excess water pooling near the foundation of the house.
For flat roofs, look for blisters (pop the blisters with a knife and coat them with roofing cement to prevent further damage), depressions near vent pipes (can also be filled with roofing cement), separations in flashing, and clogged drains.
Note: Walking on the roof as part of the inspection is not recommended and may cause further damage to the roof.

Indoor Roof Inspection
Following is a checklist of problem signs you can look for during an indoor roof inspection.

Sagging decking between the rafters. If the decking is sagging or deteriorating, the decking will also require replacement when a new roof is installed.
Outside light that can be seen through the roof. This may be common (and not a problem) on shake roofs, since the wooden shakes will swell during the wet months, effectively preventing any leaks.
Signs of leaking in the attic (dark spots in the wood, especially around vents, chimneys, and other holes to the roof).
Test dark spots in the wood to decide if they are old or current problems. If the spot is still wet, or if it is soft (test with a screwdriver), the spot is a current problem. If the spot is dry and hard, it is most likely an old problem that has been fixed.
Signs of water damage or leaking (usually in the form of water stains, or sagging ceilings)–this could be due to an active leak in the roof or to condensation caused by poor roof ventilation.
If you observe any of the signs listed above, you need roof repairs or a new roof. Depending on the degree of damage, you can decide what is best for you and your house. Often the cost of fixing or replacing a roof is less than dealing with the damage an old roof can cause to your home. We will present you with both options.

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Roof leaks are a nuisance for many homeowners. They can be difficult to diagnose – that is a fact. To make matters worse, different weather conditions will produce leaks in different locations.

The vast majority of roof coverings operate using the principal of gravity. This can be a big help in locating a leak source. However, horizontal roof boards can trick you. A leak may actually be eight to 10 feet sideways from where you see the wet ceiling or spot in the attic.

Finding the source of some leaks is easy. Others will require detective work and possibly a garden hose and an inside spotter. If you don’t feel comfortable on a roof, you will have to find an honest roofer to assist you. Sometimes this can be as hard as finding the smallest leak! Here are some tips that may help you find a pesky roof leak:

The Field of Shingles

If your roof is older, it is possible that the leak is within the roof field. This means the expanse of shingles, slate, shakes, whatever. If your roof is asphalt, then you can walk around with ease. Other materials such as slate, concrete tile or clay tile may not be so forgiving. You can crack roofing if you walk on it, so be careful. With regular shingles, look at the tops of the vertical knockouts. Look for missing colored granules. Look for cracks. Possibly a nail has backed itself out of the roof sheathing. Simply take your time and hunt.

Valleys

A valley is a line where two roof planes intersect. Here in Cincinnati we use a metal flashing in the valleys. Some areas use rolled roofing. Other places simply lace the shingles together. Valleys can be big problems if you do not trim the shingles correctly. When you trim a shingle for a valley you end up with a chisel point on the end of the shingle. If a second cut is not made to make this point like an arrow point, then water can travel along the top of the shingle and find its way inside your house. The shingle wrapper tells you how to make this simple second cut.

Head Wall Flashings

Some roofs stop at a vertical wall. A metal flashing must be in place to direct water streaming down the wall away from the stopping point of the shingles. This flashing may be behind wood siding or in front of a brick wall. The flashing should extend over the shingles at least three inches. If the wall is brick or other masonry, the flashing must bend and extend one inch into a mortar joint. Tar, caulk or roofing cement should never be used in conjunction with these materials. If you see them, it is a sign that someone tried to patch a leak!

Wall Step Flashing

Some roof leaks happen at step flashings. You find these flashings where a roof climbs alongside a vertical wall. As each row of shingles is laid, a step flashing is installed over the shingle next to the wall. Part of the flashing turns up on the wall and the other portion gets covered by the next row of shingles. Look for rust or holes in these flashings. In reality, if all is well, you will be able to see only the smallest portion of these flashings.

Chimneys

These devils are the source of many a leak. Chimneys contain four different types of flashing. All must be right or you will have a leak. Plus, the counterflashing that goes into the brick mortar joint must be right. A hairline crack above the flashing can allow vast amounts of water to run behind the flashings. Look for soldered corners of flashing that might have broken or have holes. Do not use caulk to repair these flashings!

Plumbing Vent Flashings

Newer vent flashings are a concern of mine. Many of these incorporate a rubber seal with an aluminum flashing. The rubber can fail in as little as 10 to 15 years. Look for cracked rubber around the plumbing pipe. The flashing should dive up and under the shingles that extend up roof from the middle of the plumbing vent. The bottom half of the flashing should be exposed and actually cover the shingles.

Furnace or B-Vent Flashing

These flashings are basically identical to plumbing vent flashings. However, they sometimes have a metal storm collar. These simply fit tightly around the vertical pipe that exits the roof. If they become loose, the storm collars can cause leaks.

Ice Dam Leaks

Ice dam leaks plague people in the snow belt. These leaks can happen even if everything on your roof is just fine! Ice dams block the natural flow of water down a roof. The water begins to back up under flashings, shingles, tar paper, etc. Once water begins to flow into the house, it can drip for days. The only means of prevention is to install membranes under the roofing. The membranes won’t stop the ice but will stop water leaks if installed properly.

Wind Blown Rain Leaks

Wind driven rain can also be a major problem. Once again, you could actually have a good roof and wind will drive water up and under your roofing materials. The only lines of defense are tar paper and the ice dam membranes.

If you have metal valleys, you may want to hem the edges. This means that the hidden edges of the valley actual have a 180 degree bend. This creates a channel that directs wind blown rain back to the bottom of the valley.

Roofing cement under shingles on the edges of roofs that face the wind are also a good idea. Don’t underestimate the power of a 70 mph sustained wind-driven rain.

Non-Roof Leaks !

Sometimes you think you have a roof leak when in fact the roof is fine. Attic condensation is a prime example. High humidity can cause condensation and “rain” to fall in your attic. It can also make the underside of the roof sheathing look wet. You think you have a leak instead.

Chimney crowns can develop cracks. The inside surface of the chimney gets discolored or the plaster bubbles. You think a roof leak is the cause.

Siding can be missing above a roof. This can cause water to enter behind head flashings. Be a good gumshoe and snoop around for the leaks!

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Recently Chip Sprague a Charlotte home inspector was inspecting a house in Charlotte when he noticed the chimney is on the move. A brick chimney has it’s own foundation separate from the house because of the weight of the bricks. The chimney also has flashing and counter flashing where it joins the roof to allow it to settle. The chimney is built to withstand a little settlement. If the foundation is poor or there are tree roots or poor drainage the settlement can go beyond what it was designed for and actually pull away from the house. This is the case with this chimney that the found. They are going to have to call a foundation contractor to repair this. Charlotte home inspector http://wwwhomeinspectioncarolina.com

Here are some problems we find when inspecting the roof on a new construction home.