Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions of your life. You need to be very conscious and alert while making such an important decision. You know the part a roof plays in providing protection to a home. If you are able to detect the warning signs of a roof beforehand, you would surely get a home which is worth your investments and time.
Here are some of the warning signs which you need to consider while buying a home.
- Age Limit
Since every roofing material comes with a limited warranty and age limit, you need to directly ask the seller to provide you with the relevant invoices and the documentation to know about the current state of the roof.
If you find out that the roof has reached its limit, it would more likely deteriorate or collapse any sooner. The age limit of a roof is a warning sign for the upcoming huge repair and replacement expenses. It is quite fair as a buyer to ask the seller to either replace the roof for you or provide you with enough resources to get it replaced.
- Flooding
If you see flooding around the roof of a home which you intend to buy, you certainly need to review your decision. It clearly shows the failure of the roof and its drainage system.
If the gutters and downspouts stop functioning properly, it would result in stagnant water and flooding. Flooding can trigger many other problems like mold growth, unstable roof structure, and a weak foundation.
- Stains
When you go to buy a home, you need to look for the stains on walls, ceilings, and basement of that home. You don’t require any expertise to see the stains as they are quite obvious and clearly indicate the moisture and condensation problem. It is the last thing any homeowner would want to deal with after shifting to a new home.
So, you need to bring these stains into notice to demand the seller to fix them before you buy the home. The seller must be cooperative and ready to provide you with a permanent solution of fixing the ventilation and flashing. Otherwise, it is a huge deal breaker from which you need to run away instantly.
- Leakage
Not every warning sign of a roof is as obvious as flooding and stains are. Some roofs may have weak spots which are quite hidden. You can take a pair of binoculars with you to inspect the roofs before buying any home. If you are able to detect the weak leak spots around flashing, ventilation, chimneys, or shingles, it may result in future costly repairs which you definitely don’t want to pay for.
However, if you are doubtful of your own skills, it is recommended to take any of the professional roofing contractors along with you to detect the weak spots and cracks on the roof which are prone to leakages, if they found any weak spots then you might need their services in future for roof repair Macomb county Michigan if you ended up buying the property with weak spots or roof cracks.
