Hail Inspection: Most homeowners want to avoid filing unnecessary claims with their homeowner’s insurance company when it comes to roof damage caused by hail. To better help the homeowner in the decision-making process, Veterans Roofing LLC inspects your roof the same way an insurance adjuster might. Though adjusters will make their own call on what is or is not hail damage, we always do our best to let you know beforehand, of the damage found on your roof.
Test square Inspection: When your insurance adjuster inspects your roof for hail he will typically draw a 10′ x 10′ square on the north, east, west, and south slopes. The adjuster is looking for 8-14 hail impacts in this square to determine if the insurance company will cover that slope for replacement due to hail. Before you call your insurance adjuster and file an unneeded claim, Veterans Roofing LLC will inspect your roof and offer an honest opinion on the storm damage we find.
Soft metal inspection: The first thing an adjuster will do after he gets on your roof to inspect for hail is looking at the soft metal. Most HVAC exhaust pipes after covered with a soft metal cap that is easily damaged by the smallest hail. If there is no sign of hail on these vent covers, there is a good chance that your roof was not impacted by hail, and filing a claim would be a waste of time.
Collateral damage inspection: The final part of Veterans Roofing LLC hail inspection is what we call an inspection for collateral damage. Hail that is big enough to damage your roofing system often leaves other signs of impact on your home. Some of the common things an adjuster will look for, are dents on mailboxes or in the AC unit coils, holes or cracks in vinyl or aluminum siding, hail splatter on driveways that are covered in algae stains, holes in window screens, and dents in your gutter downspouts.
Wind Damage Inspection: Veterans Roofing inspects every roof for damage caused by strong winds. While missing shingle tabs can easily be seen from the ground, it’s often harder to see shingles that are creased from being blown up by wind or shingles that are no longer sealed properly because of dirt and debris.
Reparability Inspection: Not every roof that has a leak needs to be totally replaced and often we can repair any damage that was caused by improper installation or storm damage if it is localized. To determine our ability to repair your roof, we test the shingles to determine their pliability. If shingles are too brittle it may not be possible to simply replace one shingle without damaging the surrounding shingles.
Window Inspection: Sometimes a homeowner calls us to inspect what they mistakenly think is a roof leak, but what they actually have is a window leak. If any windows are above the roofline, Veterans Roofing inspects the window to ensure proper installation and window flashings.
Step Flashing inspection: Step Flashing is used at diagonal roof to wall transitions. Improperly installed or rusted step flashing is often the cause of major leaks that are sometimes hard to pinpoint. Veterans Roofing inspects your step flashing, ensuring that it is securely fastened and not rusted from years of exposure to the elements.
Counter Flashing Inspection: Counter Flashings are commonly used around chimneys, over step flashings, and anywhere else there might be a roof to wall transition. Veterans Roofing inspects all counter flashings to ensure they are properly sealed.
Drip Edge Inspection: Veterans Roofing inspects both the eaves and rakes for installation of drip edge. Veterans Roofing always suggest the addition of drip edge for a worry-free roof installation.
Chimney Inspection: Another common area for leaks is chimneys. Though the chimney isn’t necessarily part of the roofing system, it can cause major leaks that are often mistaken for a roof failure. To rule out any possible problems with the chimney, Veterans Roofing visually inspects the chimney to assure it’s sealed properly and can protect against water intrusion.
Pipe Boot Inspection: A common cause of leaks on many roofs is the deterioration of the pipe boots that seal around plumbing exhaust vents on the roof.
Valley inspection: Veterans Roofing inspects all valleys (where the roof planes intersect) for proper flashing and installation. Heavy rains can cause rushing water to penetrate beneath the shingles and without proper flashing, water will enter the home.
Decking Inspection: Veterans Roofing visually inspects the decking during roof leaks to help pinpoint the leak and to check for any rotting that may have occurred. Roof decking cannot be fully inspected until the current roofing is removed.
HVAC Penetration Inspection: The metal pipes that exit your home through the roof are HVAC exhaust vents. These vents are often installed incorrectly because they are usually installed by the HVAC installer on new home builds. Veterans Roofing inspects for proper installation and inspects the pipe flashing.
Roof Ventilation Inspection: Most homes with roofs over ten years old are improperly ventilated. A proper roof ventilation system is evenly balanced at the eves and ridge to ensure airflow beneath the decking. Roof vents help keep the attic cooler during summer and prevent condensation buildup in the winter – when cold air from the outside meets the warmer air in your attic. We inspect your roof to make sure there is enough ventilation for your roof size.
Nail Head Inspection: An uncommon problem that is found on older roofs is improper nailing. Some installers nail too high or too low and even worse, don’t use enough nails for the shingles they are installing. A more common problem that homeowners notice from the ground is called “nail pops”. Nails can back out during expansion and contraction of the decking and cause the shingles above to pop up. The nail heads can cause small holes as they rub against the shingles if they are not removed. Veterans Roofing will check for any nail pops and ensure shingles are properly nailed with enough fasteners.
Blistering Inspection: Asphalt based shingles can sometimes blister in the hot summer months. Blistering is caused mostly by one of two ways. Moisture can get trapped in the shingle during the manufacturing process. When the sun heats the shingle, the water can blister up beneath the granules that cover the shingle. Another cause of shingle blistering is improper ventilation that causes the shingles to get too hot and they start to blister. Blisters themselves are not always a problem; however, the blisters eventually pop, causing the granules that protect the shingle from ultraviolet light to fall off. Veterans Roofing inspects the roof for signs of blistering that cannot always be seen from the ground.
