From the Top: Home Inspections of the Roof and Attic

What Home Inspectors Look For to Ensure Your Future Home Has You Covered 

A house isn’t a home without a roof and the ability to provide you and your family with real shelter from the elements. One of the critical aspects of a home inspector’s job is evaluating the inner and outer ceiling of your future home. The home inspector starts at the top to make sure your home’s ceiling, both inside and out, is functioning properly and will provide your family and your property, with sufficient coverage once you’re living inside.

Did You Know?

An estimated 7% of U.S. homeowners re-roof each year. This translates to 5 million older roof replacements, as well as, roof repairs resulting from property damage.

What You Need to Know About Your Future Roof 

Roof Repairs & Replacements

Weather plays a major role in the life expectancy of your future home’s roof. Tennesseans are no strangers to inclement weather. Each year, we endure hurricanes, tornadoes and dangerous wind, rain and hail storms that take their toil on our roofs.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, approximately 1 in 15 insured homes files an insurance claim each year. Homeowner insurance claims for wind or hail damage are the most frequent, and claims related to fire and lightening are the most costly. The most common homeowner insurance claims for property damage involve the repair or replacement of the home’s roof.

Based on State regulations, reimbursements on homeowner insurance claims for roof damage may be restricted based on the age of your roof. Often claims on roofs that are 10 or 20 years old are not reimbursed the same as claims on newer roofs. The reasoning is that the roof already has wear and tear and is considered the responsibility of the current homeowner.   

Home Inspections from the Top

Home inspectors provide a valuable service to assure Tennessee home buyers that the house they want to purchase is functional and safe, and includes a properly working roof. As part of a home inspection, the roof and attic are closely examined to help buyers identify any signs that your future roof has already failed, or may be near the end of its life. 

Is My Roof Working? How Long?

Signs of Water Damage?

Are There Dangerous Moisture Levels?

Signs of Toxic Mold Growth Present? 

The Cost of a New Roof

The average cost of a new roof ranges from $5,114 to $9,765. Roofing restoration projects often include tear down and removal of the damaged roof, as well as the traditional costs of installing a new roof.  On the high end, a new roof can cost $30,000, and sometimes more, depending on square footage and other factors.

The Value of a Home Inspection of Your Roof 

A home inspector will identify, examine, and report to you on the age and condition of your future home’s roof. Home inspectors look for clues in the attic that indicate the roof has failed, or is failing. Their ultimate goal in the attic is to look for and report to you on signs to keep water from leaking in and damaging your future home’s interior structure and systems, after you’ve moved your furniture and family in.

The home inspection may help you negotiate, or budget for those expenses on repairs that must be completed before you buy. Knowing this information is important to protect the home’s working systems from water damage; it also protects your future home and family from dangerous and toxic mold growth that occurs as a result of interior water damage through roof leaks. Toxic mold growth is no joking matter, and causes serious health damage and fatalities.

A home inspector’s job is fiduciary when it comes to the safety of your family, especially for home inspector’s who live where they work. It’s our job to protect the structural integrity of our area homes in Middle Tennessee, and the residents.

Is My Attic Properly Insulated?

Will We Stay Warm?

Be Cool?

 Does Insulation Affect My Utility Bill? 

The Cost of New Insulation

The average cost for blown-in insulation (most common) ranges between $873 and $1,884. Most homeowners spend an estimated $1,362 for attic insulation, depending on whether the work is self-applied or completed by a professional.

The Value of a Home Inspection of Your Attic

The attic, or home’s interior ceiling, is an important room that is carefully examined during a home buyer’s inspection. Home inspectors examine the attic’s insulation as a factor in keeping your heating and air conditioning systems working properly. A home inspector can also help you predict how well your attic’s insulation is working, which translates to your comfort during Tennessee’s cold winters and hot summers. Perhaps more important, and before you purchase the home, your home inspector will help you predict at what point in time your insulation will need to be re-applied. This gives you, as a home buyer, the opportunity to negotiate this price of necessary home repairs with your seller, before you make the purchase.

Is My Attic Properly Insulated?

For How Much Longer?

When Will I Need to Reapply Insulation to Protect My HVAC’s Health? 

The Cost of a New HVAC System

The average cost for replacing a forced-air heating and central air system in an existing home ranges from $3,500 to $4,000 (for a 2,000 sq ft house).

While HVAC systems may be up to code, poor insulation in the attic will result in the loss of heating during the winter and cooling during the summer. This causes your HVAC to work harder than it should to do its job, and shortens the life expectancy of that system in your home. This also causes higher than average utility bills for new homeowners.

The average monthly utility bill in Nashville, Tennessee is $127.68.

The Value of a Home Inspection of Your Attic in Relation to Your HVAC’s Wellness

A home inspector will help you understand the age and condition of your roof so you can budget and plan for a re-roof in the future, whether 2 or 10 years down the road.  A home inspection also provides you with full disclosure on signs the roof has already failed or has an existing breach.

Armed with this information, home buyers have the leverage they need to protect their interests in a real estate purchase and/or negotiate a fair sales price. The buyer can demand the roof and/or insulation is repaired before purchase. The buyer can also offer the seller a lower price, factoring in the expense for these future repairs.

This is important for a home buyer so you understand any additional out-of-pocket expenses you will need to maintain the sheltering aspect of your new home.

Let J&J Make Sure Your New Home’s Heart is Healthy

The home inspectors of J & J Home Inspections have been trained in industry standard for general construction, and certified as home inspection experts.

We are also Tennesseans who work and live in your community. We deal with the same challenges from damaging storms to our own roofs, staying warm through snow storms and cooling down in hot summer months; without breaking the bank. We live under roofs in the area, just like the one you’re considering to protect your own family in the future.

Our focus is to provide services to make you feel comfortable buying in our area. We care about the integrity of Tennessee homes. We also know the importance of careful inspections of every roof and attic, so buyers are clear on what they are getting, how their shelter will function, and what and when maintenance or replacement will be needed.

Whether you are buying or selling a home, need a re-inspection to ensure repairs were completed, or require a specialty service, select a home inspector to represent your interests that is invested in your new community.  

At J & J Home Inspections

We Love Where We Work.

And, We Work Where We Live.

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