Roof Plumbing & Flashings
Home owners or property buyers often times are more concerned with the walls, ceilings, bathrooms, tiles, marble, floorings, windows, doors, gateways, porticos and driveways. Seldom are they cautious about roof plumbing and flashings. Faulty roof drainage stands second amongst the top 10 structural defects encountered in home inspection surveys. It may lead to moisture accumulation which, in turn, may be detrimental to the structural integrity of the building.
There are several structural defects that only an expert in building inspection service can uncover and analyze with the use of scientific tools. A prospective buyer is not expected to uncover these flaws.
Causes behind Faulty Waterproofing in Roofs
- Roof cladding: Poor design and installation
- Gutters and downpipes: Breakage, lack of regular maintenance and cleaning
- Different qualities of Constituents: Dissimilar longevities of metals or materials used in roofing lead to cracks in flashings or corrosion under the corrugated iron roofing
- Roof Coverings: Insufficient freeboard under roof coverings
Chimney Flashings, Parapets, Sumps and Downpipes
- Failure of chimney flashings, counter flashings and edges
- Faulty gradient, lack of adequate sumps and downpipes
- Water seepage through parapets and chimneys
- Improper design, unnecessary bends or inefficient fixing of downpipes and sumps
- Rusting and corrosion at joints
What Does the Home Inspector Check for?
- Steep roof flashing defects, including alley, chimney, pipes, stacks, skylights, eaves, ridges, rakes, hips, step flashing, counter flashing and pan (trough) flashing.
- Roof or wall intersections or points where sloped roofs meet flat roofs
- Whether flashing materials meet the set standards
- Any kind of damp patches, cracks and leakage
The building defects and inspection points listed above show the merits and demerits of the roofing, flashing, waterproofing and plumbing to the buyer. Thereafter, the building inspector draws a complete report.
For an all-encompassing inspection of your building with detailed scrutiny of roof plumbing and flashings, get in touch with us at Inspex at either our office in the Gold Coast or Brisbane. Post inspection, the home owner can expect the survey report within 48 hours. Inspex building inspection reports are comprehensible and complete with substantial photo evidence and recommendations. Each section is followed by a detailed yet simple description for the understanding of the property to the prospective buyer. Our experts can also guide you on the cost estimates for repair. The entire inspection process showcases the feasibility of the deal you are entering with the property seller.