What should an Indianapolis roof inspection check?

Why does an inspection start in the attic?

The attic shows the leaks, the ventilation and the condition of the decking before the roof surface is walked. Water that has got past the covering shows there first, and so does a vent that is blocked.

Look for daylight through the decking, stains on the underside of the boards, dark rafters and wet insulation. Each sign tells the technician where water has been and where it may be coming in. A stain near the eave points to the eave, and a stain near the ridge points to the top of the roof.

The attic is also where the warm air is found. A ceiling that is open to the attic at the top plates, the recessed lights or the chimney chase lets heat in, and frost on the sheathing on a cold morning is the sign that the heat is getting there.

How should the eave and the ice-dam line be checked?

The eave is checked for ice, for the line where ice has formed, for the gutters and for the fascia below. The line shows where the melt has backed up and where the next dam is likely to form.

The dam line is the point on the roof where the melt stops and refreezes. The technician notes where it sits, how far up the slope it reaches and whether the ice has lifted any shingles near it.

The gutters and the fascia are checked for ice damage. A bracket pulled from the fascia, a run that sags or a fascia board that is soft are all recorded, because they change how the eave is repaired.

What should be checked on the decking?

The decking is checked from the attic for softness, staining and any board that has lifted. Where the roof is walked, the decking is pressed where the shingles move or the nails are loose.

Soft or swollen boards, boards that have delaminated at the edges and nails that have pulled through the sheathing are the signs of a failing deck. Each is noted with its location, and the decking condition is one of the main factors in a repair or replacement.

A moisture reading shows whether a board is still wet. A dry board that is soft is a sign of past damage, and a board that is wet and soft is a sign of a current leak that must be traced.

The eave is also where the ice barrier question arises. The technician notes whether an ice barrier is already in place, where it stops, and whether it covers the warm wall line. An existing barrier that stops short of that line is recorded, since a dam can form just above its end.

What should be checked on the shingles or covering?

The shingles or covering are checked slope by slope for hail hits, granule loss, lifted tabs, cracked or curled shingles and failed sealant. The count is recorded in test squares, and the condition of each slope is noted.

Hail hits are counted in a test square on each slope, and the count is recorded with a location. Granule loss is noted on the windward slopes, and lifted tabs are noted at the edges. A shingle that bends without cracking is marked as re-sealable, and a brittle one is marked for replacement.

The ridge caps are checked for bending, cracking and loose nails. A ridge cap that has moved opens the peak of the roof to water, so it is recorded with a photograph and its position.

Which flashing and joints should be checked?

Every flashing joint is checked: chimneys, walls, valleys, pipe boots, vents and skylights. Each is examined for lifted metal, cracked sealant, corrosion and gaps between the flashing and the masonry or siding.

Chimneys and walls are the most common leak points. Counter flashing and step flashing are checked, along with the mortar joints at a chimney. Valleys are checked for lifting and for debris or ice that holds water.

Pipe boots and plumbing vents are checked for cracked or missing seals. These are small, low-cost repairs when they are found early, and a missed boot can leak for a whole winter.

The shingle count should be repeated on each slope at the same test square as the last record, where one exists. A repeated square shows whether the hits are new, which is the first question an insurer or a repair plan asks.

What should the gutters and downspouts show?

Gutters and downspouts show the storm's force on the metal and whether water is being carried away from the foundation. Dents, sags, blocked outlets and split downspouts are all recorded.

Look along each gutter run for round dents that match the marks on the vents, and for a run that sags between brackets or has lost its fall. The outlets should carry the water well away from the wall.

Granules in the gutters are a sign of hail, and their pattern shows which slopes were struck. Ice in the gutter run is a sign of a backed-up eave, and the record notes which run it was.

How should the storm and ice record be checked?

The storm and ice record for the address is checked against the inspection. The warning or the ice event that covered the address is named in the report, and the report says whether the marks found agree with it.

The NWS Indianapolis office's record of the January 2005 ice storm describes as many as 150,000 homes in the state losing power. The 10 August 2020 derecho brought widespread wind damage across central Indiana. Those are the records a technician reads for an address, and each is kept separate from the others.

The report records the date and the event. Where the marks match, it says so, and where they do not, it says so as well. That honesty is what makes the report useful to the homeowner and to an insurer.

What should be checked inside the house?

The ceilings below the roof are checked for staining, sagging and damp, and the rooms are photographed. The interior record shows how far any leak has travelled, and it is part of the roof record.

Look at the ceilings in rooms under the roof, along the exterior walls and near any chimney or vent. A stain that is dry and old is recorded as old, and a stain that is still damp is traced back to the roof.

The interior check also looks for light fittings and outlets near any wet area, because water near electricity is a hazard. A wet area near a fitting is reported at once, and the homeowner is told to turn off the circuit at the panel.

The report should be read with the checklist beside it. Each section of the checklist should have a matching entry in the report, and a missing entry means the item was not checked. That is a useful thing to notice, because it shows the homeowner what the visit did and did not cover.