Free roof inspection in Stow, Ohio

What is checked during a roof inspection in Stow?

The inspection follows the water. It starts at the ridge and ends at the edge, and every stop is photographed.

• The shingle field. Curling, cupping, cracks, creases and bare spots where granules have washed off.
• Valleys. Two slopes meet here and the most water runs here. On the many-gabled colonials in Eastwicke Farms, valleys are the first place wear shows.
• Flashing. Step flashing at walls, the chimney, and the curb around any skylight.
• Pipe boots and vents. Split rubber collars and rusted vent caps.
• Ridge and ventilation. The condition of the ridge cap, and whether the attic has a way to exhale.
• Eaves and drip edge. Rot at the deck edge, missing drip edge, and signs that ice has backed up.
• Decking. Soft spots underfoot and sag between rafters.
• The attic side, where it can be reached. Stains under the deck, damp insulation, and daylight where there should be none.
• Moss and shade. Stow's tree cover keeps some slopes damp, and those slopes are judged on their own.

How should you read Good, Watch and Replace Soon?

• Good The roof is doing its job and needs nothing now. The report says so, and that is the end of it.
• Watch There is wear worth a second look in a year or two, or a small item to repair. The photos show exactly where.
• Replace Soon Shingles or flashing are near the end across enough of the roof that patching no longer pays. You get one flat written quote.

What is in the photo report?

The report arrives the same day as the visit. It holds the photos, a short note under each, the rating, and a plain list of anything that needs attention. It is yours to keep whether or not you hire anyone. If you are selling or buying a Stow house, or planning next year's budget, it gives you dated photos of the roof's condition.

When should a Stow homeowner book one?

Any time the roof is past 15 years old and has not been looked at. Any time a ceiling stain appears. And before winter if you can, since Stow's secondary snowbelt winters are when a weak eave shows itself. With a median build year near 1979, many Stow houses are on a second or third roof whose install date nobody in the house remembers. An inspection settles the question.

What happens after the inspection?

Nothing, unless you want it to. A Good roof gets a report and no sales call. A Watch item may lead to a fixed-price roof repair in Stow. A Replace Soon rating leads to a written quote for a Stow roof replacement, held for a year so you can plan around spring. To see what drives that number first, read roof replacement cost in Stow.

Who does the inspection?

The owner of Guttrz, the North Canton company behind this site. He drives up Route 8, about 35 minutes, and does every inspection himself. There is no salesperson in between. The person on your roof is the person who writes the price.