Roof sarking: why your property needs it!

 Sisalation paper, also known as roof sarking, should be installed under all metal roofs to prevent damage caused by condensation. It’s a protective barrier that allows moisture to escape while preventing water entering your roof space.

Several of our inspectors have recently observed metal roofs without sarking on quite a few newly constructed properties. This concerns us.

You should know how important roof sarking is so you’re able to make an informed decision when signing the building contract for your new home.

So what causes condensation?

Condensation is moisture that has been depressed from air inside the roof cavity. It typically occurs in the cooler months of the year when warm air inside the roof space comes into contact with the cold metal roof sheeting.

This moisture can either drip directly from the roof sheeting onto the structural timbers, or onto the ceiling below – this usually occurs in flat roofs.

On steeper pitched roofs, moisture will typically run down to the batten, leaching into it (if it is timber); or it drips onto other structural parts and the ceiling.

On very steep roofs, droplets run along the entire length of the sheeting and discharge directly into the gutter; this typically occurs only on roof pitches greater than 25 degrees.

What we recommend

We strongly advise all our clients to have sarking installed under metal roofs. Excessive moisture is often not identified for long periods of time and can cause costly structural damage to your property.

Sarking also has the added benefit of providing an extra layer of insulation to your home, typically at an R value of .7, which can really aid in the energy efficiency of your property.

Visit here for more detail about Roof sarking: why your property needs it & also House inspections Melbourne

Pre-purchase building inspections

We often get asked why people should spend the money on a pre-purchase inspection.

Essentially, a pre-purchase Building inspections Melbourne will provide you with peace of mind. You will be able to move into your home worry-free, knowing the property you are buying has no serious structural or safety issues.

An immaculate looking property can still hide serious defects that aren’t noticeable to the untrained eye. An experienced inspector will able to identify all safety, structural and maintenance defects so that these are addressed before you move in.

A good pre-purchase inspection will cover:
– Structural defects.
– Safety issues with the property.
– Minor defects.
– Maintenance issues that, if not addressed, could lead to irreparable damage in the future.
– A thorough investigation of the roof, roof space, sub floor area as well as the perimeters of the property.

A good report describes the condition of each area of the property, provides clear details of identified defects and includes photos for further clarity.

At Landmark inspections, we liaise directly with the real estate agent to arrange access and provide you with the full report within 24 hours of the inspection.

Visit here for more detail about Pre-purchase building inspections

Landmark Inspection Services

Landmark Inspections is a professional building and property inspection business that can complete the following inspections for you:

Pre-purchase Building inspections Melbourne

This inspection is important for anyone buying property, these inspections are completed by a industry experienced inspector that can identify the most sinister of defects in the property that are often covered over and not evident to an untrained eye.

Pre-purchase timber pest inspections (termites)

We always recommend completing a timber pest inspection with any pre-purchase building inspection unless it is in an apartment where the risk of termite attack is relevantly low. Our inspectors conduct these inspections in accordance with relevant Australian Standards AS4349.3 Timber Pest Inspections. When conducting timber pest inspections the inspector will be searching for timber pest activity and damage, however equally important is any conducive conditions around the property that could attract timber pest like termites or fungal decay.

Pre-purchase smoke alarm inspections

The most important thing to anyone is family, that’s why we always suggest conducting a thorough smoke alarm inspection on your next property purchase, these inspections are carried out by our trained inspectors, they determine what type of alarm has been installed and if its appropriate to the area, they conduct a smoke test on the alarm and also ensure that the smoke alarm hasn’t expired.

Construction stage inspections, this includes pre-slab inspections, frame inspections, lock up inspections, waterproofing inspections and completion stage inspections.

Our construction inspections are critical at each stage of the building process, they provide the client reassurance that their new property is being built right and if it is not then the report will list comprehensively any issues that we have found which can be provided to the builder so they can rectify before it is too late.