[JoeF77]

What is the going rate or fair fee for a roof inspection these days im in north New Jersey basic 1600sq ft house split with gable roof im looking to buy a home and the home inspector said i should have a roofer further examine the moisture issues due to inside discoloration in the attic

 

[1985gt]

It's going to depend from company to company, state by state. Best to call around.

For us I charge actual time spent, and it includes everything from the trip there to the time on site, trip back and if you want a report I charge for that also. Everything is hourly for us.

Now if it's a roof that we have done and they wanted a yearly inspection that's a flat fee. Generally a few hundred dollars depending on size.

 

[Bud9051]

Hi Joe,
Discoloration can also point to issues other than a leaky roof. Poor ventilation, exhaust fans vented into the attic, moisture problems in the house or from the basement. All too often a roofer will find a roofing problem despite the cause. I would look for a good home inspector. An infrared inspection can be very revealing for moisture problems.

Bud

 

[joecaption]

And to add to the list of it could be depending on where it is.
Leaking flashing, old vent seals, no storm and ice shield, lack of enough insulation, attic's never been air sealed, someone ran the dryer vent out the soffit, Ect.
Post some pictures inside and out, no close up's needed.
It would be rare to find a roofer that would be able to look over the whole big picture.

 

[JoeF77]

no the home inspector basically said all those issues and recommended a power ventilator , house was built 1960 so no ice shields were installed and the chimneys on all the homes in the area are built too high with no slant and not a wide enough flue cap so moisture most likely dripped down the sides i was just trying to cover myself by getting an inspection but it sounds like its more of what you guys said .... while im here whats a good gable power ventilator on the market for the moisture issues and are there any alternatives for ice shields until i have to redo the roof down the road?

 

[joecaption]

A power vent would be my last choice in most cases.
Is there any soffit vents, any roof venting is pretty much useless without them.
Is there any roof vents or gable vents now?
If there's soffit vents are they blocked with insulation?
In that area there should be a minimum of R-40 (about 12" of insulation) in the attic.

 

[JoeF77]

Sheathing: Plywood - Water staining noted around chimney. The roof sheathing
is discoloring because of moisture. Condensation in an attic can cause health
concerns. The plywood roof sheathing is delaminating. This can cause loss of
strength in the sheathing. In severe cases, the roof covering has to be removed,
and the sheathing replaced. The attic will need added ventilation, such as power
ventilator with a humidistat.
Ventilation: Gable and ridge - It is recommended that a power ventilator be
installed and equipped with both humidistat and thermostat.
Water Stains: There are a number of water stains on the framing, chimney and
rear fascias, indicating water penetration.
inspection also states moisture in the pit is emanating into the home and into the attic that is
causing delaminating

 

[Bud9051]

Adding a powered attic exhaust fan will increase the air leakage from the house to the attic and increase your heating costs. References available it you want.

The inspector said "inspection also states moisture in the pit is emanating into the home and into the attic that is causing delaminating".

I assume the pit is either a reference to a sump pit in the basement or perhaps the basement itself. But "emanating" indicated a poor understanding of what could be happening. Winter stack effect moves air from outside into the basement where it is then pushed up through the house and out through upper leakage area, some of which go directly to the attic. Plumbing paths, chimneys, and electrical penetrations provide for a lot of air flow. Those are the paths where the attic fan will significantly increase the air flow.

All air paths from the basement need to be air sealed, link below. In addition, there are many leakage paths that should be addressed from the attic.

Your description does indicate some possible water leak issues, like staining around the chimney. As for the chimney cap, they are only intended to keep water out of the flue, not off of the chimney itself.

Bud
http://www.efficiencyvermont.com/stella/filelib/TBC_Guide_062507.pdf

 

[JoeF77]

Adding a powered attic exhaust fan will increase the air leakage from the house to the attic and increase your heating costs. References available it you want.

The inspector said "inspection also states moisture in the pit is emanating into the home and into the attic that is causing delaminating".

I assume the pit is either a reference to a sump pit in the basement or perhaps the basement itself. But "emanating" indicated a poor understanding of what could be happening. Winter stack effect moves air from outside into the basement where it is then pushed up through the house and out through upper leakage area, some of which go directly to the attic. Plumbing paths, chimneys, and electrical penetrations provide for a lot of air flow. Those are the paths where the attic fan will significantly increase the air flow.

All air paths from the basement need to be air sealed, link below. In addition, there are many leakage paths that should be addressed from the attic.

Your description does indicate some possible water leak issues, like staining around the chimney. As for the chimney cap, they are only intended to keep water out of the flue, not off of the chimney itself.

Bud
http://www.efficiencyvermont.com/stella/filelib/TBC_Guide_062507.pdf

yes he was referencing the sump pump , the water table in this town is high as for the chimney cap i was figuring a wider one to keep the dripping minimal on the masonry