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Earlier this week we had the opportunity to inspect a home, built in 1962, that was completely renovated in 2003. It looked great; it was charming due to its age but with all of the modern updates/conveniences. We completed a thorough inspection on the home and uncovered issues that are normal to these types/ages of houses. Upon inspecting the roof however, we uncovered an issue that was brewing since 2003.

Regular inspection of roofs (inside and out) is encouraged, whether you hire us to do it or do it yourself. Common issues occur that should be addressed immediately; if not, they will lead to bigger and costlier issues:
1. deteriorated seals on roof vent, ridgevent nails and other flashing
2. damaged vent caps (squirrels love to chew the lead wrap)
3. tree limbs or other vegetation too close to the roof
4. accumulated debris (branches/leaves/vegetation and yes, animal remains)
5. clogged and unmaintained gutters

Each of the above issues requires little effort and money to correct; however, if they are not taken care on a regular basis, they can, and will, cause significant damage to the roof shingles, underlayment and eventually the interior.

On this particular house, along with the usual suspects, we found a ridge vent where one side was not properly secured by the roofer when the roof was installed in 2003. For over eight years, leaves and small branches were blown into the attic along with moisture from wind driven rain.  Staining/damage was visible. Granted, the wind had to be blowing in the right direction, but the evidence was present. 
 
The moral of the story is if the roof (including the attic) had been inspected on a regular basis, this defect would have been caught quickly and the subsequent damage would not be present.

What does your roof and attic look like? If your answer is "I don't know," give us a call and we'll complete a full roof inspection for you.

813-486-8551