The Twin Cities are known for having no dry season. Humidity, high winds, leaks, and freeze-thaw cycles can all conspire to weaken your roof through the seasons.
Well-timed roof inspections give you the capacity for preventative maintenance. The reports identify shingle issues, possible leaks, or potential rot or mold sources that could lessen the lifespan of your roof.
In addition, the 4 seasons and persistent rains and thunderstorms put your home at risk of seasonal damage. Without the inspection report, you may not be able to prove to your insurance adjuster what issues came after the storm. Accusations of negligence can damage your insurance claim.
What do you need to know about the roof inspection process?
Key Takeaways
- Roof inspections should always be thorough and detailed
- Heavy rains for most of the year put your roof at risk of leaks, mold, and rot.
- A local roofer knows what to look for during inspection and protects the roof through preventive maintenance
- Your detailed roof inspection report gives you what you need to make long-term decisions for your roof
- Roof inspections help you maintain the materials to their full lifespan in the absence of damage beyond wear and tear
1. A Twin Cities Local Roofing Contractor Is Your Best Bet For Thorough Roof Inspection
Minneapolis and St. Paul weather can famously reach up to 108° F in the summer but drop down to -41° F in the winter. Freezing weather contracts everything from your shingles down to your roof decking, while the heat causes the expansion of all materials.
Only a local roofer can give you the support you need to weather every season.
What Your Roof Inspection Should Tell You About
A local professional contractor knows what to look for during the roof inspection.
Based on the Twin Cities climate, they should also make recommendations to protect yourself against likely problems.
Your inspector should look at:
- The state of your roofing materials or shingles
- How your gutter system is holding up and if there is any need for repairs
- Inside and outside signs of mold, rot, or moisture build-up
- The health of your roof based on its expected lifespan and weather and climate projections.
Is It Really A Big Deal To Skip A Roof Inspection?
It is highly recommended to have a roof inspection at least once a year. Consider scheduling two inspections a year: before and after winter to avoid these problems.
Invisible Cracks Lead To Visible Costs
The most important reason that you should never skip a roof inspection is that small issues are usually invisible until they get too big to ignore. Balding shingles or those with small cracks may break or spread only later.
One gutter out of alignment can throw off a whole system, and you won’t know it until the leak is causing mold in your drywall. You don’t want to skip a roof inspection simply because it costs too much in the long run.
Insurance Claims Need Evidence
If you have ever made an insurance claim, you know that gathering the paperwork can be the most tedious part. Even if you have all your paperwork in one place, having the right paperwork can be a source of frustration.
2. DIY Roof Inspection Won’t Cut It In Minneapolis or St. Paul
If you must have a roof inspection once or twice a year, you may think, “What if I just do it myself?” It sounds like a way to save on costs, and lessens the potential inconvenience that comes with looking for and contracting a local roofer.
However, especially given the conditions in the Twin Cities, you may much prefer to have a professional inspector look at your roof.
Here are some reasons that may convince you.
Never A Dry Season In The Twin Cities
One of the most compelling reasons is that Minneapolis and St. Paul rarely experience dry season. There are thunderstorms accompanied by rain in 3 of the 4 seasons. It may not actually be that safe for you to inspect your own roof, especially if you plan to go up yourself.
Another reason is that structural damage is just one of the possible issues of a failing roof. The issue may be more serious than you think, and you do not want to discover that when something collapses and you and your belongings are left in the rain.
What Your Professional Roof Inspector In Twin Cities Might Catch That You Won’t
Here is where the experts come in:
- There may be a sag in your roof due to shingle misalignment or even attic or wall damage
- The gutter system may be full or falling out of alignment, disrupting the redirection of water away from the roof and walls
- Thunderstorms, high winds, or heavy snows may have caused smaller issues to small groups of shingles that will spread later
- Moisture build-up needs to be caught early and responded to in a timely manner to reduce costs and make the most out of the repairs
Expect your roof to last at least a decade, and give it everything it needs to reach the full duration of its materials.
3. You Should Have A Well-Documented Roof Inspection Report After Every Visit
It may seem like you are getting a roof inspection for no reason, and in fact this may be the case if your contractor is just there to say that all is well and see you next time. What you should have after every inspection is a detailed, documented report that gives you a roadmap to caring for your roof and home.
If you are planning to sell your home, or to upgrade the roofing materials, the inspection report will let you know if it is more cost-efficient to replace the roof or not. It will help you plan ahead for updating your shingles, or even renovating your entire roof decking.
Without an inspection report, all you can do is be surprised by all the roof repairs you suddenly need to do once you get around to looking at it.
What Should Be In Your Roof Inspection Report?
You should have a good idea of your roof’s health, much like you would have one of your own health after an annual physical exam. You will now know what you do not need to worry about, and a little more about what you can do to restore your roof to full health.
- Photos and Details. Your roofer needs to take any photos of issues, and clearly outline the damage seen as well as the recommended action to take. If you have an insurance claim later on, it proves any newer damage that you are attempting to claim for.
- Climate-Informed Recommendations. Let’s say you inherited or bought the home, you didn’t build it. Let’s say the previous roofer may have made some roofing decisions that are not the best in the face of heavy rains and cold winters. You want your local roofer to provide you with their expert opinion about how your roof will stand up to the year ahead.
- Proposals and Options. Your roofer may focus only on solving problems, but they may also have a few proposals about how to get your roof up to date or increase your energy savings.
The inspection report is your key to successful roofing solutions, even up to roof replacement.
Time For Your Roof Inspection With Krech Exteriors Today
It’s time for your roof inspection! Krech Exteriors has more than 36 years of experience in roofing homes in the Twin Cities area. We inspect your roof, provide expert opinions, suggest timely repairs and recommendations, and support you as you make the best possible decisions for your roof.
Give us a call or send us a message for a free estimate, and we’ll take care of your roof inspection.
