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The Not So Great Cover Up - When Roof Patches Don't Work

By
Home Inspector with Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC 3380-000723

When portions of a roof need a cover up, often I see the not so great cover up - when roof patches don't work.

This is a five year old house.  The roofing shingle is a very durable, architectural shingle.  It's a good roof.

However, the gutter guy didn't quite know how to handle this architectural detail!

He ran the gutter to where he thought it would capture water from the roof above, and then attempted the great cover up for the rest.

The cover up is a piece of white sheet metal.

It is glued in place on the left side with a gallon of some very fine caulking.

It does not cover everything it needs to cover.  THERE ARE GAPS EVERYWHERE!

Water obviously gets behind it.

Because of the angle of the sun the roof sheathing reveals that it is sagging badly underneath.

Likely it is rotting, and rotting badly.

Unfortunately, from inside the attic this section of sheathing is not visible.

It will have to be investigated from outside by a roofer.  It is very high, and the ground slopes down at this point.

The photo is taken from a hill behind the house, with a telephoto lens! 

Hard to see in the photo above, on the right side of that roof edge is a piece of sheet metal.

Unknown how it is attached, it is full of holes and certainly not water tight.

This is a very high location and I bet it was thought that nobody would see this.  It is clearly visible with my 20x binoculars (with image stabilizer) and the sun's angle helped.

My recommendation:  it is important that all aspects of a roof be looked at.  Sometimes the sun gives its assistance!  But no matter what, especially when very high, and when what is obviously a problem reveals itself, the only option is further review by a professional.  And that gutter arrangement needs improvement too!

 

 

Posted by

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC  

Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia.

Office (703) 330-6388   Cell (703) 585-7560

www.jaymarinspect.com


Comments(46)

Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Trying to tame water is almost un-achievable because it seeks out those levels hidden from us showing eventually the weakest part of the roof....A good roofer knows this and goes by the book on repairs meaning paper, flashing, tar and whatever else is done...Very good post here thank you Jay

Sep 29, 2012 11:34 PM
Randy Ostrander
Lake and Lodge Realty LLC - Big Rapids, MI
Real Estate Broker, Serving Big Rapids and West Central MI

Good morning Jay. Looks like the roof takes a dip right by that make shift extension. Amazing how often really nice work is adjoined by wth is that work. lol

Sep 29, 2012 11:48 PM
Vanessa Saunders
Global Property Systems Real Estate - White Plains, NY
Real Estate | Done Differently

It is interesting how the sun's reflection can aid in spotting such defects...just learned something.

Sep 30, 2012 12:05 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Gary - it is amateur looking, to be sure.  I think rot has already set in.

Richie - I think the roofer left the sealing and all to the gutter guy!

Randy - it does.  That's the point.  I think it's rotting.

Vanessa - the sun helps in lots of ways during home inspections.  And a very important help!

Sep 30, 2012 12:07 AM
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Home Inspector

Don't think this is the gutter guys error. Looks like a roofing mistake. That "divertor" to the right on the slope looks suspicious. 

Sep 30, 2012 12:19 AM
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

I see many roof contractors cut corners when we flip homes. We spend money to fix the problem.

Sep 30, 2012 12:29 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I don't know if it was the chicken or the egg Jim, but that diverter is definitely suspcious!

Harry - you shouldn't have to repair what someone else fixed to "flip!"

 

Sep 30, 2012 04:39 AM
Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker
Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska - Kearney, NE
Farm & Commercial Property For Sale 308-627-3700

Mother Nature and her relentless sun, wind, and water always win over man's creations...although much quicker when the creations are of poor quality...

Sep 30, 2012 04:54 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

You hit that nail on the head Mike.  Nature is destroying all this pretty quickly.

Sep 30, 2012 04:57 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Wow Jay!  Excellent post.  You are an awesome home inspector for this in your area.  It's always a good idea to have a good set of binoculars for those hard to see spots.  Reminds me of an Appraiser discussion for a panel I was in on 9/26, EEBA.org.  If he hadn't driving around the block with his binoculars, he might have missed the solar panels on the back of the home that were a shade darker than the roof tile!  Great post Jay!

Sep 30, 2012 06:40 AM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M
Jay - This is part of why it is so important for a buyer to have an inspection on the home.
Sep 30, 2012 06:42 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Thanks Jan.  To actually see this I had to go quite a distance from the house.  Binoculars are a great help and I don't underestimate mine.

Christine - one of a thousan parts!

Sep 30, 2012 06:54 AM
Ginger Harper
Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage~ Ginger Harper Real Estate Team - Southport, NC
Your Southport~Oak Island Agent~Brunswick County!

Great post. If the seller is trying to cover up here...you need to be careful and make sure there were not other cover ups that took place..

Sep 30, 2012 07:34 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Who knows Ginger!  That is the world of the home inspector!  This was just plain bad work.

Sep 30, 2012 08:13 AM
Goran Utvic
Goran Utvic Real Estate Broker/Construction Consultant - Chicago, IL
Chicago 2 Flat Specialist

Great job catching that Jay...most inspectors would have never seen that

Sep 30, 2012 08:27 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Thanks Goran, but they would if they were looking!  I guess the key is to look?

Sep 30, 2012 09:23 AM
Robert Butler
Aspect Inspection - Montreal West Island, QC
Montreal Home Inspector | Aspect Inspection

Telophoto lenses are a great tool. I've got a 15X lens on my regular set up and I can digitally zoom even more. I routinely find things with my camera that I would not see without. I haven't looked up a chimmey in years but my camera  does all the time.

Sep 30, 2012 10:40 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I agree Robert.  My camera can do what I can't sometimes, and even go places I don't fit.

Sep 30, 2012 11:10 AM
Spectrum Inspection Group
Spectrum Inspection Group - Las Vegas, NV

Very strange patch up.  Thanks for the post!

Oct 01, 2012 06:35 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I think this was from day one Spectrum.  Don't know who did it, the roofer or the gutter guy, but you are right, it is strange.

Oct 01, 2012 10:00 AM