Do home inspectors walk on the roof?

The Standards of Practice for home inspection include an examination of the roof and home inspectors often climbed onto the roof with a ladder provided it was safe to do so but with today’s technology, the method of inspection often uses tools that do not require the inspector to climb onto the roof.  

Some of the reasons a home inspector would not climb onto the roof include the type and condition of the roof covering, the height or pitch of the roof itself and adverse weather conditions.

One of the tools of inspection for many home inspectors is a drone. Drones offer an up-close look at the roof from various angles and can easily take photos for the inspection report. The use of the drone as a tool may be limited by weather conditions or property location - sometimes regulations do not allow drones to be used in certain areas.

A telescopic pole with a camera attached can be raised to roof height and allow the inspector to view the roof from the ground and take photos. Binoculars can also provide a good view of most of the roof from the ground but does not allow the inspector to take pictures. A high-quality camera with a zoom lens allows the inspector to zoom in on the roof and take photos. Sometimes sections of the roof can also be viewed from nearby windows.
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Your home inspector wants to do a good job for their client, and they want to examine systems as closely as they can safely do so however, adverse weather conditions or snow covering can limit the extent of any roof inspection regardless of the method chosen.

​Home inspections are a necessity for anyone looking to sell or purchase a home. Choosing someone qualified to perform home inspections will ensure that not only will the results of the home inspection be thorough, but that the risk of future complications – potentially costly – will be reduced as much as possible. A typical home inspection takes 2-3 hours, but this can vary depending on the size or age of the property and the number of defects identified.
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Think of a Home Inspector like a general practitioner. They will inspect the home from top to bottom including central air conditioning systems, heating systems, plumbing systems, and electrical systems. The physical components of a home inspection include an evaluation of the condition of the roof, foundation, walls, floors, ceilings, windows, doors, and other visible structures of the building.

Qualified home inspectors will do a thorough evaluation of all the systems and structures of a home. Rather than appraising a home's value, or ensuring that the building meets municipal codes, home inspectors work to determine the condition of existing structures and calculate the risk of any problems arising in the future.