NRCIA Articles

A LeakFREE® Roof Certification is a formal certificate issued by a NRCIA member after s/he has performed a VisualROOF® inspection of a property following the NRCIA Inspection Protocols and has determined that the roof has met the LeakFREE® Roof Certification criteria subject to its terms and conditions.

Our certification services include stopping leaks from normal wear-and-tear, perils of nature, and third party damage. In the unlikely event of a leak, a NRCIA member will make a priority service call to determine the cause of the leak for a nominal fee specified on the certificate. If it is determined that the leak is from normal wear-and-tear or is covered under our repair warranty, it will be stopped at no additional cost. Fixing leaks

The LeakFREE® certificate holder notifies the member who issued the certification that a leak has occurred. The member performs a priority leak inspection to determine the proximate cause of the leak for a nominal service call fee. If it is determined that the leak was caused by a normal wear and tear or an error on the part of the inspector, all necessary steps would be taken to stop the leak at no additional cost

To get a LeakFREE® Roof Certification, a VisualROOF® inspection is required first by an NRCIA member. The inspection fee is typically $200, not including rare variable costs, for homes up to 2500 sq. ft. If the roof meets the LeakFREE® Roof Certification criteria, then a LeakFREE Certification is $350 for a 2 year period for up to 2500 sq. ft. If the inspector finds that the roof has deficiencies, the s/he will give a VisualROOF®

The standard LeakFREE® Roof Certification covers repairing leaks from normal wear and tear or a leak missed by the inspector during the certification period.

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 a NRCIA member makes the repairs, then another inspection by a 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