Congratulations on finally making the decision to buy a new home. However, before you finally sign the dotted line and make it yours, you need to make sure that the roof is in good condition. A roof is a very integral part of any home so you need to make sure it’s of high quality and working well.
What To Look For In A Roof?
Here are the top 4 things to look for in a roof when buying a new home.
1. Age Of The Roof
You need to know the exact age of the roof before buying a home. The seller may not be aware of the exact date so don’t trust their word without doing your own research. Due to exposure to weather elements, the roof deteriorates faster than in other parts of your home. Therefore, you need to be careful to avoid buying a home with an old roof. This is because you will end up spending a huge fortune on replacement costs.
2. Quality Of The Roof
Here, you need to determine the type of material the roof is made out of. If the previous owner was cheap and used low-quality roofing materials, you will be forced to come up with more money for repairs and replacement. If you want the best roofs, make sure they are made out of high-quality materials such as asphalt. On the other hand, if you want to buy a house with a roof made out of metal roofs, you are in luck
These roofs are durable and can last as long as 5 decades. As such, you may not have to cough up any money for the replacement costs. Before buying a home, make sure you have roof warranties from the manufacturers to make sure they are still intact and may be transferred to you as the new owner. A high-quality roof may increase the price of your home but you will have a lot of peace knowing there is no replacement in the near future.
3. Degree Of Wear & Tear On The Roof
Regardless of the age and quality of the roof, you need to take a look at the wear and tear. Here, you need to take a look at some of the following issues.
- Curling, cracking, peeling or shrinking shingles
- Bald spots on shingles and granules in the roof gutters.
- Cracked caulk or rust spots on the gutters, flashing and downspouts.
- Worn out or cracked rubber seals.
- Repair or replacement of these issues may be very costly so you need to be careful when buying a home with these roofing issues.
4. State Of The Gutters
When looking at the roof, don’t forget to look at the gutters too. Make sure there is no debris present and the gutters are working properly. It’s the best way to prevent further damage to the roof.
Roof Inspection – What to look for
Look around to make sure the gutters and downspouts are properly attached to the house.
Final Thoughts
The roof is a huge investment in any home. Before buying a new house, check these 4 tips to make sure you are not throwing your money down the drain with future roofing replacement costs.