It's Snowing Everywhere!

The news media announced last week that snow had fallen on 49 states, or over 70 percent of the nation. The only state not reporting snowfall was Florida.

I thought it timely to talk, from an inspection perspective, to our readers about the considerations of attempting to mount a frosty, icy, or snow covered roof.

Safety is always the number one consideration. Roofs and ladders can be dangerous under the best of conditions. The risk of injury during inclement weather is greatly increased and cannot be tolerated. Please know that when it comes to home inspections, U.S. Inspect employees are instructed not to walk a roof if they feel uncomfortable.

There are several ways, however, that inspectors from U.S. Inspect will work to thoroughly evaluate your roof.

• We will position our ladder at multiple points along the roof's edge at the lower level to determine the age and condition of the shingle, and any visible existing damage.
• We will look for signs of ice damming at the soffit areas, snow buildup around vents and in valleys, and other areas where water may be diverted back into the home.
• A thorough check of the underside of the roof while in the attic will be performed looking for leaking and staining of the decking material. Insulation will be carefully studied, as it changes its shape and composition once wet.
• Chimneys will be studied internally, as much as is possible, for signs of leakage from above.

In the event the inspector does not feel he has had sufficient access to make a confident assessment of the roof, he may schedule a return visit at a later date to complete his roof portion of the inspection report.

Roof inspections may be more difficult when snow and ice is encountered, but the inspection can still be completed thoroughly with a few adjustments.