Category: FAQ

The standard LeakFREE® Roof Certification does not include services for “acts of god” or third party damages. However, in the event of storm damage, we will work with your insurance company to get your roof repaired. The certificate holder would still have to pay their insurance deductible and the insurance company would pay the balance.

Yes, any roofing contractor can make the repairs. However, if a contractor who is not an NRCIA member makes the repairs, then another inspection by an NRCIA member would be required to determine if all the mandated repairs were made to meet the LeakFREE® Roof Certification criteria. This becomes costly because it sometimes takes several inspections to make sure that all the repairs are properly made.

The standard certification is for two years which is the usual the time in which a buyer can have recourse against the sellers and agents. However, in certain situations lenders like FHA, HUD, Conventional Lenders and insurance companies can require a longer LeakFREE® certification period. The NRCIA can qualify roofs for a LeakFREE Certification for up to five years.

Home inspectors are limited to looking for visible signs of existing problems. Only 46% of roof damage can be seen from the ground in a normal home inspection. They can only report on the condition of the roof on the day of inspection. They cannot guarantee the future performance of a roof. Generally, home inspectors will defer their opinion and recommend a further inspection of the roof by a licensed roofing professional.

Yes and yes. Some home warranty insurance plans offer one year coverage of the roof as an option. These are called “roof riders”. When the roof leaks, the home warranty company sends out a roofer to provide spot roof repairs or requires you to get three bids from various roofers. Unless you happen to have proof on the condition of your roof at the time the rider was issued your ability to collect depends upon the after-the-fact opinion of whoever was called out by the warranty company to do the repair work. The NRCIA”s trademarked two-year LeakFREE® Certification agreement is a superior alternative. We provide assurance on the condition of the entire roof based on a patent-pending roof inspection process.

No! The United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted the exclusive right to the NRCIA to perform VisualROOF® Inspections and issuing LeakFREE® Roof Certifications. The NRCIA grants to its active members the right to perform inspections and issuing through its system LeakFREE® Roof Certifications. Anyone else who performs inspections for the purpose of issuing LeakFREE® Roof Certification is infringing on patents, trademarks and copyrights and is subject to legal and financial consequences. Anyone who hires a non-conforming company could also be liable.

Roof deficiencies are the most common problem reported by home inspection associations. 30% of real estate inspection claims are due to roof leaks and water penetration. 39% of homeowner™s insurance claims are because of roof problems.