What should you look for in a roof when buying a home in Central Oregon?
What should you look for in a roof when buying a home in Central Oregon?
You’re thinking of buying a home in Bend or the surrounding area, congratulations! Whether you’re a Central Oregon native or a transplant, we know that purchasing a home is a huge investment. Your roof is a major part of that investment and it is wise of you to ensure that the roof you are purchasing will serve your home well.
Consider the Type and Age of the Roof
What kind of roof does the home that you are considering purchasing have? Asphalt shingle roofs are a common roofing material that many homes have. With over 30 years of experience working in Central Oregon we have found that an average shingle roof can provide adequate shelter for the home for roughly 17-18 years. If the home is older than that then you should find out if the roof has been replaced in the past, and if so, how long ago. It is a good idea to ask the homeowner for proof of replacement so that you have an accurate date as to when the roof was last replaced.
Another popular roofing material Bend and the surrounding areas is metal roofs. Metal roofs are sturdier than shingle roofs and can last for closer to 30 years. They have gained in popularity in Central Oregon because of their durability and their ability to shed the Central Oregon snowfall that we get each winter. Despite their longer lifespan, metal roofs do eventually need to be replaced so the age of the roof should be taken into consideration.
Check for Visible Signs of Damage and Wear
For both shingle and metal roofs you will want to do a visual inspection and check for signs of wear and damage. While we don’t recommend getting on a roof yourself, we do recommend that you take a step back and take inventory of what you see. Don’t forget to circle the home and look from a variety of places. Your visual inspection should not replace an inspection by a professional roofing company, however, it can serve as a preliminary tool.
Some obvious red flags to take note of would be any areas where shingles are missing or lifted or the roof looks as if it is buckling in any way as this could be indicative of water damage. Take a look at the rubber boots that surround vent pipes, do they look cracked or dried out from old age? Are there visible signs of rust on the gutters or downspouts? Do any of the shingles look worn or like there are spots that are balding where the asphalt composite is no longer there? Do you see moss or mold growing on the roof?
Metal roofs come with a protective barrier applied that will wear off over time. If that coating is gone the roof may look faded or the color is chipped. Does the roof look faded and worn? Are there any signs of rust showing? Do you see any signs of weather damage such as scratches, dents, or dings that could be affecting the durability of the roof?
Roofs in Central Oregon take pretty severe beatings due to our weather conditions. Hail storms are a common seasonal occurrence and can cause significant damage to both metal and shingle roofs. Signs of indents, dents, or scratches on your metal or shingle roof are something to take note of. Extreme wind can also cause damage to roofs, not just from removing shingles but because of debris that can be blow onto and into your roof.
A Pre Sale Home Inspection Is Not Enough
Home inspections are a fairly standard, albeit not required, part of the buying and selling process. A home inspection consists of a certified home inspector checking different aspects of the house and providing a written report which can be used as both an informational tool and a bargaining tool for the buyers and sellers. Unfortunately, when it comes to the roof, a standard home inspection will not give you an accurate representation regarding the health of the roof.
Home Inspection Standards of Practice for the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors states that when inspecting a roof the home inspector will “inspect from ground level or the eaves.” This means that the inspector isn’t even required to go on the roof! They can stand at ground level, or climb a ladder and look out from ladder to do a quick visual inspection. While they are supposed to check different factors such as the roof covering material, gutters, vents, and downspouts they do not have to report as to the effectiveness or life left regarding those features. In fact, the only thing that they are required to report is observed indications of active roof leaks- this leaves a lot of room for problems with a roof to be overlooked! If an inspector notices significant damage they can recommend that an additional inspection be performed by a roofing contractor, unfortunately, not all roofing issues or concerns are glaringly obvious.
Instead of relying solely on a home inspection report to gauge the life expectancy of a roof, a buyer would be wise to request an additional roof inspection by professional roofers. At Greenlee we offer complimentary roof inspections so neither the seller, nor you as the buyer, will need to pay anything more out of pocket to determine the health of the roof. This extra step can allow you as the buyer to have peace of mind knowing that you have been given a full and complete picture regarding the roof in question.
What A Complementary Inspection from Greenlee Entails
At Greenlee our goal for an inspection is always to determine the health of your roof, not to automatically try to sell you a new roof. If a roof still has life left in it we not only let you know that, but we provide you with a report letting you know how much longer the roof will be able to shelter the home. If the roof is in need of replacement or repair we will also convey that. We pride ourselves in our thorough, diligent, and honest work.
A good roof is a balance of insulation, ventilation and the roofing product itself. One of the first things our inspector does is to look for the soffit ventilation and start with a visual inspection of the home from the ground. He is checking to see if that ventilation is clogged, or if there are animals such as birds going in and out. Our inspectors are also looking to see if there is a drip edge installed at the end of the roof. Roofing standards have changed over the years so the estimator is taking inventory of what the roof has in terms of protection against the elements and how well those elements are still functioning.
Our inspector then gets up on the roof and looks to take a closer look at the whole breadth of the roof. The roofing that faces south is most likely to have weathered the hardest and is a good first indicator of whether or not the roof is going to have more life left in it or not. He will look at the shingles closely to see if there are areas where the asphalt composite has worn off and take note of any missing or damaged shingles. Lifting the shingles slightly at the very edge of the roof allows our inspector to check on the ice shield that is under the shingles. He is also feeling for moisture or any indication of water damage.
As our estimator traverses the roof he will also take into account the pitch of the roof. Ideally you want the pitch to be steep enough to allow the water and ice to run off of it while not being so steep that a roofer has difficulty working on it. Ventilation will also be checked and in a perfect world 50% off the vents will be high and 50% will be low so as to adequately vent your home. Our adjuster will check the seals around the vents and note if any of them are cracked or are no longer sealed properly. He will also check the flashing around the pipe vents to ensure that those are not cracked or deteriorated.
In Central Oregon hail damage is a very real concern so over the whole of the roof he will be paying close attention to any hail damage. The direction of the hail will determine the severity of damage done to the roof and it’s possible for one section of the roof to have hail damage and another section not to to have much, if any. Our adjuster will also see if there is enough hail damage to warrant an insurance claim. The general rule of thumb for insurance companies is 10 decent dings in a 10 foot area.
At the conclusion of the inspection our estimator will provide a written report and will provide the homeowner with information regarding the life left in the roof. To watch an inspection in action click HERE to see our founder, Cary perform a roof inspection.
A Roof that Needs Replacing Doesn’t Have to be a Deal Breaker
What do you do if you’ve fallen in love with a house but the roof needs to be repaired or replaced? A good real estate agent will be able to guide you through the options for negotiation with the seller to help determine who will pay for repairs or replacements before closing. Some sellers may choose to reduce the selling price slightly to allow the buyer to afford those repairs while others may opt to replace a roof on their own, however this may forfeit any input from the buyer. There are a variety of options and ways as to how to handle a situation in which the roof needs to be repaired or replaced prior to closing.
In Summary
Ultimately, as a buyer in Central Oregon, you want to ensure that the roof you are about to purchase will provide adequate protection for the home. We recommend that you take into consideration the age and type of the roof, note conditions to the best of your ability- keeping in mind that hail damage is a real concern for Bend and the surrounding areas, and do not rely solely on the home inspector report to determine if the roof is in adequate condition. We recommend that you reach out to us at Greenlee for a complimentary, no obligation, consultation so that we can give you a clear and concise picture as to the health of the roof. If needed, you can use that information to request repairs or replacements prior to closing. We wish you happy house hunting and a good strong roof!
