We provide Roof Inspections in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas in Baton Rouge to New Orleans.
If your Baton Rouge roof is over 25 years old or updates have not been documented, chances are your insurance carrier is requiring a Roof Inspection aka Roof Condition Certification Form. Some insurance companies say “the roof is a major source of protection against high winds, if the roof is allowed to deteriorate, all the home and it’s contents are vulnerable to storm damage.”
Insurance carriers want to ensure the roof is currently in good condition, and is not at high risk to fail during a storm. Only a licensed roofer, home inspector, or building contractor should perform a Roof Inspection.
Our roof inspectors will evaluate your roof and let you know if any issues need to be fixed before submitting your report. Having a home inspector provide your Roof Inspection in Baton Rouge may benefit as the inspector is unbiased. We have no intention of selling you a roof or repairs. We complete the roof inspection and report to you our findings. If the inspection passes, we will submit it to your insurance agent for you, so you don’t have to worry.
The average life expectancy of a tile roof covering in Baton Rouge over the years. Many times home owners and property managers will develop roof leaks and issues much sooner than this. These leaks can happen due to improper installation, poor base sheet materials, or storm damage. With a tile roof the underlayment layers are what actually keep the water from penetrating the roof. The tile is solely cosmetic. When completing a tile roof repair, it is imperative to remove all of the tiles in the effected area. Any rotted wood must be replaced and then a new 30lb base sheet will be nailed, per code, using galvanized steel tin caps. Once this is completed, a new tile underlayment layer will be installed to the 30lb base sheet. the most common tile underlayment used for repairs is Polyglass TU Plus. After the underlayment is installed, if the original tiles can’t be re-used, we will match the tiles as closely as possible. The tiles will be installed with polyfoam tile adhesive. This will ensure that the new tiles are installed in a way that will not add penetrations to the underlayment layer. And ensure that this will be a long lasting tile roof repair.
The average life expectancy of a shingle roof covering in South Louisiana is 20-30 years. The life expectancy greatly varies between an architectural shingle and a 3-tab shingle. The architectural shingle will last much longer than a 3-tab shingle and carries a better warranty. Shingle roof leaks more commonly occur on a 3-tab shingle roof.
With either type of shingle, the shingles and 30lb base sheet will need to be removed in order to inspect the wood roof deck. Any rotted wood must be replaced. Then we will install a new 30lb base sheet and nail per code, using galvanized steel tin caps. The perimeter of the new 30lb base sheet will then be sealed using modified roofing tar and fiber glass membrane. If there are any vents, valley metal or roof accessories in the repair area, they must be replaced prior to installing the new shingles. We will then install the new 3-tab or architectural shingles to the entire repair area, and tie them into the connecting sections of the roof. The new shingles will be installed using six 1.25″ electrogalvanized ring shank nails. As a precaution, we will also seal every 3rd course of shingles in the repair area. This will ensure that your shingle roof repair will last a long time.
Unlike a tile or shingle roof covering, a flat roofs life expectancy can vary greatly. A modified flat roof system with a slope of 1:12 or more will have a life expectancy of approximately 20 years. A modified flat roof system that has a roof slope of 0:12 to 0.5:12 will most likely hold a significant amount of standing water. A flat roof that holds water will have a life expectancy at 10 years. This is much less than a flat roof with a steeper slope (1:12 or greater).
When completing a flat roof repair, the first step is to remove any cap sheet or base sheet layers, down to the structural roof deck. The most common roof deck types for flat roof systems will be a wood roof deck or a structural concrete roof deck. With a repair on a wood deck, any rotted wood will need to be replaced. With a structural concrete deck, the deck needs to be inspected for any weak areas or uneven surfaces that the base sheet will be applied to. If any roof deck damage is observed, the effected area must be floated with a high-tinsel strength self-leveling concrete mixture, and allowed to cure. Once these problems have been addressed, a base sheet must be installed to the roof deck. A 75lb base sheet is the most common type of anchored base sheet used. It will be nailed per code with galvanized steel tin caps. The perimeter of this base sheet will be sealed using roofing tar and an embedded fiberglass membrane. Once this layer is sealed, we will install a 120lb modified bitumen torch down cap sheet. This will be torched and melted to the base sheet and connecting edges of the existing roof cap sheet. The perimeter of the new modified cap sheet will be reheated and manually pressed to the existing cap sheet to ensure that the new cap sheet has a strong bond to the original flat roof. Once this torch down cap sheet layer has cooled, the perimeter will be sealed with roofing tar and an embedded fiberglass membrane. Because the flat roof will remain exposed to the elements, we will then spread and press white granules into the tar layer at the perimeter of the repair area. This will make the dark tar stay cool, and not adsorb as much heat, which can cause the tar to crack.
A roof repair done properly using this method will be a very long lasting repair, and will typically last longer than the existing roof covering.
A Roof Inspection in Baton Rouge is an inspection that is required by the insurance carrier if the home is over 25 years of age or if the roof has been updated without the proper written documentation.
If your insurance company is requiring you to get a Louisiana roof inspection, you may wondering about the next step and how it will play out. Most homeowners may worry if the roof will pass or if their insurance will be canceled. There are a handful of characteristics that contribute to the overall condition of the roof.
Here are some guidelines of what the insurance companies require for a roof to pass a roof inspection in Baton Rouge, and what to expect during your inspection.
A Roof Inspection is a limited visual inspection performed by a licensed home inspector, building contractor, building engineer or roofer. The inspector will walk around for a ground view, then use a ladder to view the roof from above. The whole is quick and painless, and takes around 20 minutes to complete.
The insurance carrier wants to know the true age of the roof to have an idea of when it should be updated, inspected, or replaced.
Different types of material have different life span. The carrier wants to know the material type to get a better picture of a reasonable life span.
The condition of the roof is very important, as it gives the carrier insight as to how long it may last before needing an inspection, correction, or replacement. If the roof is in poor condition, it’s more likely to fail, which will cost the insurance company money to replace.
The insurance Carriers ultimate goal is to determine the remaining useful life of the roof. This information tells them when the roof should be inspected or replaced so they can ensure it’s done in a timely manner. All of the characteristics such as; age, material, average lifespan of material used, updates, deterioration, and condition help the inspector determine the estimated remaining life.
Updates to the roof such as partial shingle replacement or leak fix lets the insurance carrier know that previous issues have been resolved, preventing the roof from sustaining further damage. Updates such as Kool Seal coats preserves the life of the roof, sealing it in and preventing water damage during a storm. Insurance carriers may want to know if there is documentation available for any updates or replacements.
Are there shingles missing or curling? Is the roof leaking? Is the roof deck sagging? These are just a few questions you will need to ask yourself, as any damage present puts your roof at high risk of enduring larger issues in the future. Any issues found will need to be corrected, documented, and inspected before the insurance company will bind coverage.
Since 2008 we have been trusted because of our handwork, integrity, and honesty. Trust is what has allowed our small locally owned business to continue to grow over the years. Customer referrals are our number one source of business and we take pride in perfecting every roof that we work on.