You may need a roof inspection if you’re in the process of buying a house or looking for a new homeowners insurance policy. A roof inspection may not seem important to most people, but the difference between a healthy roof and an older roof may be the difference between an insurance provider accepting or rejecting a policy.
When a roof inspector assesses your home’s roof, he or she is actually measuring how long it will be before the roof needs to be replaced. This is required by insurance companies in order for them to calculate how much to charge you for a policy, whether or not a new roof is needed in order to get insured, or whether or not you qualify for roof insurance with that specific insurance company. If your roof is in poor condition, having insurance for your home can be difficult before you fix or replace it.
Learn more about what to expect for your homeowners insurance policy based on roof inspections from Progressive Insurance.
If you own an older home, your insurance provider can request a roof inspection before issuing coverage. Roof inspections (and subsequent repairs) are often popular when selling a home, as buyers want to ensure that the structure is protected. Some customers, on the other hand, may choose to hire their own inspector to inspect your roof.
A roof certification is a professional opinion from a licensed roof inspector that forecasts the roof’s remaining lifetime. It goes a step further than a roof inspection by certifying that the roof is in good working order (i.e., no leaks or cracks) and that no repairs are needed. If the inspection recommends repairs, they must be made in order for the inspection to be completed. This certification will last anywhere from two to five years, depending on the roofing business. Check to see if the certification you’re having complies with Federal Housing Administration (FHA) guidelines, as this will ensure that your roof is secure if and when you decide to sell your home.
Inspectors must consider the following factors when determining the roof’s remaining years:
If you live in an older house or a storm-prone location, your insurance company would almost certainly demand a roof inspection. This is due to the fact that your roof is your home’s first line of defense against the elements. Whatever the weather, your roof will have to deal with it. If it fails, it can set off a chain reaction of other problems in your household, with you, the homeowner, bearing the brunt of the consequences. You’re advised to always work with qualified and certified roof inspection specialists as they are likely to give official reports that would woo your insurance company to extend the policy without increasing the premiums. Feel free to ask for advice at Capstone Roofing.
Most homeowners insurance plans now provide ACV (actual cash value) roof coverage due to the high expense of roof-related disasters. This means that the amount of life left on your roof decides the amount of money you’ll get from a roof lawsuit. To put it another way, the insurance provider would only account for the value of the roof at the time of the claim, not the actual cost of re-roofing.
It’s possible that you’ll be forced to have your roof inspected if:
The response is a no. The two terms “roof certification” and “roof inspection” are not interchangeable. They are, however, all aimed at the same goal: evaluating the condition and value of a roof. After inspecting an old roof, a roof certification is a declaration professionally designed by talented and certified roof inspectors.
A roof certification is extensive and involved, and it does include information about the value and lifetime of the roof. In fact, most insurance providers require roof certification when they request a roof inspection.
If the credential is to be accepted as legitimate, it must adhere to the Federal Housing Administration Regulations. Inspectors must weigh prior roof repairs, age, the number of layers, roofing material, and roof pitch when certifying a roof’s protection. Some roof certifications have a warranty that protects you against accidents including leaks.
Apart from not getting on your roof yourself, there are many benefits of getting a professional roof inspector.
A roof inspector can spot any of the following:
If you’d like to learn about free roof inspections, send us a form.
You’re much more likely to extend the life of your roof if you remain on top of its needs. No roof will last indefinitely, but if you solve problems as they occur, the chances of a major system-wide failure are greatly reduced. Overall, roof inspections are beneficial to everyone.
Many factors influence how long a roof lasts, including the quality and form of roofing material used, the contractor’s skill level, and the amount of bad weather the roof has to deal with on a daily basis. Roofs depreciate in value over time, so if you try to insure an old roof, you’ll almost certainly be asked to have an inspection certificate.
In order to help them craft a customized insurance policy for you, insurance providers request a roof inspection to determine the approximate value and remaining lifetime of your roof. If you’ve already insured your roof, your insurer can need an inspection certificate in order to produce a policy renewal that’s tailored to your needs.
Insurance firms, like most businesses, want to keep their financial risk low and their income high. And, as you might be aware, the older your roof becomes, the greater the financial danger it presents to your insurer. That is true because as the roof ages, the likelihood of it causing problems increases, putting the insurer’s finances at risk.
The cost of your roof insurance premiums is dictated not only by the condition and age of the roof but also by the nature and quality of the materials and construction. Roofs that are poorly constructed and made of low-quality materials typically cost more to insure. In addition, whether your roof requires repair or has been repaired previously, your insurance premiums would be high.
Roof inspection for insurance purposes entails determining the structural integrity of a roof by identifying any actual or possible problems that may jeopardize the roofing system’s effectiveness. Certified roofers from Capstone Roofing will inspect the roof for damage such as missing or buckled shingles, moss or algae buildup, sagging tiles, leaks, and mold formation.
Roofers can also ascend to the top of the roof to conduct a closer and more thorough inspection of the gutters, flashing materials, and valley joints. They’ll carefully inspect the roof structure, looking for any problems that might need to be fixed and any parts that might need to be replaced.
Certified roofers can have a reliable and informative written report after inspecting the roof, which you may present to your insurance provider. Most roof inspectors only issue positive reports, which means that your roof must pass its inspection process in order for you to receive some kind of comment.
If your roof fails the inspection, the inspector will explain why and give you time to correct the problem before giving it another look. The positive thing about roofing inspections is that they are always in the homeowner’s favor because roofers provide repair and replacement services to ensure that your roof passes inspection.
Paying for a roof inspection and, possibly, a roof repair if a flaw is discovered, may be costly upfront. The cost of a roof inspection and certification varies, but it usually ranges between $200 and $300.
Since home insurance can cost anywhere from $500 to $1500 a year, it can take years for the initial cost to be recouped from the premium discounts you receive (depending on where you live and other factors). The idea that your roof is in good shape, on the other hand, is well worth it. You can rest easy knowing that it can withstand strong winds, rain, snow, and other natural disasters. Make sure you are in the right hand by contacting Capstone Roofing for your roof inspections in Phoenix, Arizona.