To this day, the global financial crisis of 2008 casts its shadow over the housing market. Today, it conspires with the COVID-19 housing bubble to make owning a home difficult for too many Americans. When we do find ourselves in a position to sign on the dotted line and take hold of that set of keys, we can’t afford to make any mistakes. The stakes are high.
A thorough home inspection should be a prerequisite of any purchase. Buyers should be aware of any issues concerning the foundation, the HVAC system, and other aspects of the house. We’d also like to tell you why roof inspections are important when buying a new home. Taking a roof’s integrity for granted can bring about painful expenses down the road, turning your American dream into a nightmare. Here are some reasons why this inspection is so critical.
Identify Shingle Wear
While tiled roofs are commonplace in the southwest and south Florida, most rooftops in the Baltimore-Washington area use traditional shingles. The wet and seasonally varied mid-Atlantic climate takes its toll on shingles. Wind and water eventually erode them, leaving their granules of slate and ceramic to settle in gutters. This issue is twofold: the granules clog the eaves, impeding rainwater drainage, and balding shingles lose their ability to absorb ultraviolet light, causing houses to overheat in the summer. A roof inspection will determine how soon these shingles need replacement.
Looking for Leakage
Homeowners take their roofs for granted. We keep an eye on our basements, windows, doors, and other parts of the house that can fail us, and why not? They’re at eye level. Issues with the roof over our head, however, can hide in plain sight. As a roof deteriorates, small flaws become big ones, and after rainy weather, leaks can happen. A leaking roof has far-reaching effects. Incoming water will damage your attic, and it can also destroy electrical components, weaken ceilings, and cause mold to develop deep within your walls, harming your home and the people who live in it.
Getting What You Pay For
When buying a new home, roof inspections are an important part of ascertaining that you pay a fair price. If a roof needs repair, that’s a consideration that should factor into the home’s value. If you expect to require roofers in the near future, you shouldn’t expect to pay top dollar at the closing.
When you do need work on your roof, whether as an incoming or outgoing homeowner, RoofPro offers professional roofing services to the suburbs and outlying areas of the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area. We help Maryland homeowners achieve their dreams with confidence.
