Roof Types and Materials.  A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. The roof may also protect against heat, sunlight, cold, snow and wind. Roofs height can range anywhere from 1 to 3 stories for the typical home inspection.

The characteristics of a roof are dependent upon the purpose of the building that it covers, the available roofing materials and the local traditions of construction and wider concepts of architectural design and practice and may also be governed by local or national legislation.

Roof Shingles by Barrie Home Inspector

Most new homes have a composition shingle which can range from a thin 20-year shingle to the thickest which are limited lifetime shingles, the cost depending on the thickness and durability of the shingle. When a layer of shingles wears out, they are usually stripped, along with the underlay and roofing nails, allowing a new layer to be installed. An alternative method is to install another layer directly over the worn layer. While this method is faster, it does not allow the roof sheathing to be inspected and water damage, often associated with worn shingles, to be repaired.

The angle of the roof above the horizontal is referred to as the pitch, which is expressed as a rise of inches per foot. For example, a roof that has a rise of 4 feet over a run of 12 feet has a 4/12 (or 4:12) pitch. A roof with a rise of 12 feet over a 12-foot run has a 12/12 pitch; expressed in other terms, the same roof has a 45 rise. typically asphalt shingles are not used on a roof with a slope under 3/12. A roof with a pitch lower than 2 /12 (or 2 feet of rise in 12 feet of run) is classified as a flat roof.

When inspecting gutters the Barrie Home inspector’s approach is to make sure that all gutters slope toward the downspout. In judging adequate slope, look for signs of standing water in portions of the gutter away from the downspout, and eyeball the margin against the fascia. It is not uncommon to see gutters installed too low on the fascia, or to see roof coverings projecting too far over the gutter. In both cases, this may lead to the water over-shooting the gutters completely.

Vinyl guttering is not only very common on new construction, but is also the do-it-yourselfer’s material of choice, as it is available off-the-shelf at most home improvement stores. Prefabricated angles, corners and connections are readily available, and installation requires no special tools, or even technical aptitude. Most new homes now come with aluminum one piece gutters as standard material.

The Barrie Home Inspector has spent most of his career in roofing, whether in actually shingling a roof to inspecting roofs on large projects. With over 4,000 home inspections the Barrie Home Inspector has been on almost any type of roof imaginable. When looking for a professional call someone who has the knowledge and experience to protect your residential or commercial investment.

Learn more about Barrie WETT Inspections. Stop by Barrie Home Inspectgions site where you can find out all about Barrie Home Inspectors Training and how it can benefit you on your next Real Estate purchase.