12.3 Roof Inspections, Leak Diagnosis, Repairs & Roofovers

A Roof Inspection Routine

Always work safely. Use a ladder set up per MIOSHA Part 11 (Section 6.3), and use fall protection when working at 6 feet or more. Walk the roof only when it is dry and the covering allows foot traffic. Inspect from the ground and ladder first.

From the Ground and Eaves

• Sagging ridges or a wavy deck (possible rafter damage, overloaded framing, or deck delamination).
• Stains, rot, or peeling paint on fascia and soffits (a missing drip edge, gutter overflow, or ice damming).
• Gutters full of granules. Heavy loss means the shingles are near the end of their life.
• Streaks or moss on north slopes.

On the Roof

In the Attic

• Water stains on sheathing and rafters, daylight at penetrations, and frost or rusty nail tips (air leakage and poor ventilation).
• Mold or dark sheathing near the eaves (blocked soffits or no baffles).
• Bath or kitchen fans venting into the attic (M1501.1 violation).
• Soft or delaminated sheathing.

Record everything with dated photos and notes. Give the owner a written report that separates what must be fixed from what is optional.

Tracing Leaks

• Water enters at one point, then runs down the deck, rafters, or underlayment before dripping. Start at the stain and follow the path upslope.
• Common sources are flashings at walls and chimneys, pipe boots, valleys, skylights, exposed nails, and ice dams, not the open field of shingles.
• Water testing: have one person run a garden hose on a limited area, starting low and working upward, while another watches inside. Starting high wets everything below it and hides the source.
• Consider condensation too. A winter "leak" that appears without rain is often frost melting in the attic.

Repair Methods

Asphalt Shingles

1. Work in mild weather if possible. Cold shingles crack, so warm them or wait.
2. Break the sealant bond of the damaged shingle and the course above with a flat bar.
3. Remove the nails in the damaged shingle and the nails in the course above that pass through it.
4. Slide in a matching shingle, and nail it in the manufacturer's nailing pattern, including high-wind patterns where required.
5. Hand-seal the tabs with asphalt roofing cement where the factory strip cannot seal right away, as the manufacturer directs.

Flashings

• Replace cracked pipe boots, and slip the upper flange under the shingles above.
• Re-set loose step flashing by lifting the shingles, and replace rusted pieces.
• Re-cut and re-set counterflashing into mortar joints, and seal the reglet. Surface sealant alone is a short-term fix.
• Add a missing kick-out. This means removing the lowest siding pieces, so coordinate with the siding trade.

Low-Slope Membranes

• EPDM: clean and prime the area, apply a peel-and-stick patch or seam tape with rounded corners, roll it, and seal the edges with lap sealant, per the membrane maker.
• TPO and PVC: clean and prepare the area, then heat-weld a patch and probe the seams. Aged TPO may need special cleaning before it will weld.
• BUR and modified bitumen: cut out blisters and patch with compatible plies or cap sheet, or use cold adhesive. Torch work requires a hot-work permit and a fire watch (Section 6.5).
• Wet insulation under a membrane loses its R-value and adds weight. Find it by core cuts or moisture surveys, such as infrared, and replace it before patching.

Repair, Recover, or Replace?

A recover or replacement must meet Chapter 9 (R908.1), including drip edge and the Michigan ice barrier. Rusted or deteriorated flashings, edgings, outlets, and vents must be replaced (R908.5). Reroofing is not on the R105.2 list of work exempt from permits, so plan on a permit. Small repairs may be ordinary repairs that need no application under R105.2.2, but check with the local building department (Section 2.1).

When a Customer Calls About a Defect

• Respond promptly. Under MCL 339.2411(4)(f), a complainant must show that they gave the licensee notice of reasonable times and dates the home was accessible for repairs, and that the repairs were not made within 60 days after the notice was sent. The department can skip this if safety or the structure is at risk.
• R 338.1551(4): failure or refusal to correct a structural matter that is materially deficient, dangerous, or hazardous is presumed to be dishonest or unfair dealing.
• R 338.1551(5): all construction, renovations, alterations, and repairs must comply with the Michigan construction code.
• Complaints may be filed within 18 months after the latest of completion, occupancy, or purchase (Section 1.6).
• Keep written records of calls, visits, and repairs. Well-documented repairs protect the owner and the license.