Buying a new home or selling your current one can be an exciting process. Selling and moving across the country to a coastal cottage, or buying the fabulous farmhouse a few neighborhoods away feels like a dream come true. Did we mention the pool & jacuzzi yet? While focusing on the future after buying or selling a home, it’s easy to forget the present, and oftentimes, the present isn’t all that pretty.
Many prerequisites must be met before buying or selling your home. If you’re buying, you need to figure out what you can afford, if the home meets all of the requirements and needs of your family, how much fixing up the home needs, etc., while if you’re choosing to sell, you need to make any necessary repairs, properly stage the home, and, dun dun dun, have a professional home inspection conducted.
At RoofCrafters, we’ve repaired and replaced many roofs that didn’t quite pass their inspection exam, and we know this can be a stressful process for not only the seller but the potential buyer, too. However, we also know that a repair that gets the roof back into perfect working condition, or a brand new roof that adds ultimate safety and curb appeal to the home is oftentimes the best-case scenario to come out of a not-so-great home inspection.
If you’re looking to sell your home, or perhaps invest in a new home sometime soon and you’re curious if the home inspector will check the health of the roof, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll learn what exactly a home inspection entails, what the home inspector will check for, and whether or not they’ll inspect the health of the roof. So, let’s get started!
What is a Home Inspection?
First and foremost, what exactly is a home inspection? I’m glad you asked! If you’re in the market for a new home, you can anticipate a third-party inspection of the property that you’re interested in purchasing. The goal of this inspection is to evaluate the structural integrity of the home, and ensure that you, the buyer, are investing in a hazardless property that’s up to code, and worth your while.
Home inspections help both the buyer and seller of the home made aware of any potential safety concerns, as well as necessary repairs. If you’ve got a home inspection coming up from the standpoint of the buyer or the seller, you can expect to see a written inspection report within 2 days of the event. The report usually includes information about any issues with the home that the inspector came across, a thorough description of said issues, photo proof, and recommendations on how to repair them.
While home inspection regulations and requirements vary from state to state, having an in-depth look at the home you’re interested in buying or selling is extremely important. Professional home inspectors are trained to check the details of a property that sellers and buyers simply wouldn’t know how to, such as electrical wiring, and HVAC systems. All and all, home inspections are an integral part of the selling/buying process.
What Do Home Inspectors Look For?
Besides electrical, ventilation, and heating and cooling systems, what do home inspectors usually check for? If you’re anticipating an upcoming home inspection, you can expect the following to be evaluated:
- Foundation
- Plumbing
- Floors, walls, ceilings + windows and doors
Foundation
You can’t possibly have a healthy, long-lasting home without an A1 foundation, so the home inspector usually starts here. While making assessments of the foundation of the home, the inspector starts on the outside of the home, making notes on any signs of a sunken porch, leaning chimney, or even cracks in the steps leading up to the home. Once inside, the inspector will check to see if any windows or doors are difficult to close, or if there are cracks in the ceiling or drywall. Once all indicators of foundational concerns are documented, the inspector will make sure the home is free of mold, and the structure is in strong working condition.
Plumbing
Next up, your home inspector will check the plumbing. This step in the process may not be all that glorious, but it’s certainly one you won’t want them to miss. They’ll make sure all pipes and waterlines are working properly, as well as sinks, toilets, and showers. They’ll then check the temperature and pressure relief valves in the water heater(s), and voila! On to the next step.
To the Window, to the Wall
Home inspectors made going from the window to the wall cool way before Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz. They’ll check for any water damage, mold, and discoloration on the windows, walls, ceilings, and floors. The inspector will also check to make sure each bedroom has at least one functional window that can be opened in case of an emergency within the home. Last but not least, they’ll check the balance of the door frames to make sure they’re not sagging, as this could indicate an issue with the structure or foundation of the home.
Will My Home Inspector Check the Health of My Roof?
So, will the home inspector check the health of your roof? Or are they more focused on the rest of the areas underneath it? Home inspectors are smart people, and they know just as well as we do that a home cannot be healthy if the roof is not in good working condition, so you can bet that your inspector will be conducting a thorough walk-through of your attic and roof.
Attic and Roof
Once the home inspector has made sure the rest of the home is in a healthy condition or has documented any damages if that’s not the case, they’ll make their way up to the attic. The attic is important because it houses your insulation, and the condition of the insulation will determine energy efficiency. They’ll take a peek at the ventilation within the attic, too. If you frequent RoofCrafters’ learning center, you know by now that an attic with poor ventilation is a breeding ground for moisture and mold growth.
The inspector will check for any water stains or signs of leaks, too, and if you have a furnace in your attic (or future attic if you’re the buyer), they’ll check for rust. Once they’ve made their documentation, their last step in the attic is to inspect the overall framing and make sure the system is working properly, and ready to take on unfavorable weather conditions.
When it comes to the roof, a home inspector will only make assessments if it’s safe. So, if you’re roof is too steep, or weather conditions are too extreme, you’ll need a professional roofing contractor to conduct the inspection instead. If the inspector is, in fact, comfortable inspecting your roof, they’ll check the flashing, gutters, and health of the roofing material.
Are Home Inspections Important?
Home inspections are important when it comes to the buying and selling process. As you now know, home inspectors are trained to look out for any damages to the home’s foundation, electrical wiring, HVAC systems, the internal workings of the home, as well as the attic and the roof. If you want to ensure that the home you’re selling or buying has a roof in perfect working condition, it’s of the utmost importance to have a thorough home inspection.
If the home inspector is not too keen on inspecting the exterior of your roof, be sure to contact a local roofing company. They’ll conduct a walkthrough of your roof, and be sure to detect any issues within the attic that the home inspector may have missed. If you’re struggling to find the best contractor for the job, be sure to download “The Top 10 Most Critical Questions You Want to Ask Your Potential Roofing Contractor”.
This checklist includes several different prompts to ask your roofer to prepare you to hold the company accountable for its quality of work and services when it comes to your potential roof repair or replacement. In the meantime, be sure to check out our article, “What Color Roof is Best for Resale?” to learn more about the current roofing material and color trends before you buy or sell.
