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What is a Roof Certification Inspection?

A roof certification inspection is an inspection of a home’s roofing system for insurance purposes. This short inspection usually takes about 30min to an hour to complete onsite and tells the insurance company the condition of your roof.

In most cases, the roof certification inspection is only required when the insurance company believes the roof will need to be replaced soon.

The form is broken down into a multitude of factors.

An Overview of the Roof Certification Inspection

A home inspector will have to report on the following:

The beginning of the form asks for generic information about the roof, such as, its age, any repairs, evidence of replacement, or permitting information. The inspection also asks for the roof type and estimated life expectancy.

Next, the home inspector will report on damages, leaks, or repairs. For instance, the report may show evidence of leaks in the attic. On the other hand, the report could exhibit pictures of lifting shingles, broken tiles, missing tiles/shingles, or simply evidence of repairs.

The purpose of this report is so the insurance agent can determine the total condition of the roof and life expectancy. In total, the report is typically about 3-4 pages depending on how many images are needed to show the roof properly. A picture of each roof plane is typically required.

In Florida, this information is especially useful to insurance underwriters in order to determine possible payouts during the next hurricane season.

What an Insurance Company Looks For

Based on the information provided by the home inspector, the insurance company will decide next steps.

An insurance agent will want 3 to 5 years of life left in the roofing system! If the home inspector reports less than 3-5 years life left, the insurance company will more than likely ask for replacement.

If you do have roof damages, repairs, roof leaks…

Again in most cases, insurance agents will require these damages, repairs, and leaks be fixed by a licensed professional. The insurance company may even require a re-inspection by a home inspector for proof of proper repairs.

Home inspectors have heard rumors that some insurance underwriters will not even accept roof repairs. This may be something you will need to talk to your insurance agent about.

Roof Inspection Process by Home Inspectors

The process of the inspection is as follows:

  • Walking the roof taking pictures of all planes.
  • Inspecting the roof for damages, repairs, leaks, etc.
  • Inspecting the attic to look for signs of water intrusion/leaks.
  • Taking photos of any signs of leaks in the attic.
  • An inspector might as well examine your interior ceilings for staining.

As stated above, the process should take about 30min to an hour.

Important Notes

If you are needing a roof certification inspection, be sure to hire a home inspector. Home inspectors are non-biased, third-party informers. Hiring a licensed roofer may seem like a good idea, however, not all roof inspectors are non-biased. Ultimately, a roofer might be able to sell you on a new roof so they can make more money.

If you are looking for home inspectors, here are a few depending on your given area:

Central Florida – Atkinson Inspection, Check our their page on roof inspections.

West Central Florida – Waypoint Property Inspection

East Central Florida (Space Coast & Indian River) – Obviously us! 😀

If you insurance company is requiring a roof certification inspection, and you have questions, feel free to comment below!

Michelle Shishilla

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