For all our discussions of late about Inspectors walking on roofs or not, I have had a flurry of roofs that I would not walk on.
One of the most popular battles that weekend warriors like to wage is building decks. The next thing they realize, when they are sitting out on the deck enjoying a nice cold “Moose Drool” beer and it either starts to rain or it is too sunny, is that they need a roof. While it is not often the case in Seattle that there is too much sun----the drizzle is real.
To put a roof over a deck is WAY more complicated than building a deck. One must answer questions like how it is going to be attached to the house so that there is still enough head room under it to walk on the deck surface. In this picture we see one solution.

Well not really so much a “solution” as a “problem”-----unless you count that all of the roofing structural materials are “in solution” being saturated with water. With this solution, having enough headroom and having enough slope were not compatible.
These three tab type shingles should never be installed on a roof this flat. Water can easily back up under the shingles where it will fill the roof structure up with water----as is evidenced by the dripping water seen in the next picture.

A wood roof saturated with water can get VERY HEAVY. We then must consider how it is attached to the house.

Wimpy 2x4’s attached to an even wimpier 1x6 fascia----all with no metal brackets or hangers.
All we need now is 6” of heavy wet snow to top it all off----well at least for a while----till it ends the Moose Drool party.
ps: This was a "Listing Feature"
Charles Buell
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Charley - Great Post! The pictures made it really effective. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing-I'm going to have to go and inspect my screen roof.
Jason, you are welcome
Pat, I expect a lot of people will be checking their moose drool deck roofs:)
No respectable beer enthusiast would drink Moose Drool, but I can see how this type of construction could happen after knocking back a few....
Thomas, have you tried it? Actually very good beer:
I didn't think you had enough sunny days out there to take a photo like this. I have been to Seattle four times and never saw the sun. But I love your city.
Tad----you have to come here in July, August, September----if that was when you were here you were extremely unlucky:)
I never really thought about it. What a great point-Dinah Lee
I loved the description of how covered decks get built. We see so many that look about what you described!
Talk about wimpy, I'll gladly buy you a new deck roof for a Moose Drool brew today, and tomorrow, and the next day, and the next week....
Thanks Dinah Lee---and thanks for stopping by:)
Barbara, this has to be the flatest roof I have seen in a while where they attempted to cover it with shingles.
Michael---I know someone would appreciate Moose Drool:)
A Moose Drool roof...I like it! Can't wait to use it as a feature on my next listing!
You made that up Charles... they really did not say a "covered porch" was a feature on this listing did they? It's saggy and looks umm, not safe and I just saw photos and didn't actually see it in person. Please tell me you really just made that "it was featured" up. LOL
Just can't be surprised any more by the just plain silly things people do. The patio roof is gonna hurt when it comes down on the Moose Drool.
Jim, the water dripping out of the roof kind of looked like Moose Drool.
Tammy, I couldn't make that up:)
Jack, I seriously hope they take it down before it falls down. In the report I said that the deck was not to be used until the roof is removed.
Charles, gotta hand it to the do-it-youselfer who does everything on the cheap (or I mean, "frugal").
Regina, yup. I have nothing against doing something correctly and cheap----but this is dangerous cheap:)
Charlie you old fool. The solution to your problem is so obvious, and below.
I don't get it----the solution is crushed squirrel?
Very kindly,
Croakster
Croakster----are we talking you looking in the mirror or what?
That's definitely what I would call Moose Drool construction. They designed and built it after drinking down a case of beer.
Seems like before, during and after to me:)
Love the title but aren't you being a little picky Charles? A few rolls of duct tape and this "feature" will be better than new.
Debbie, I am not sure the structure would support the extra weight:)
If it's all the same to you, I think I'll be drinking MY Mosse Drool somewhere other than under that patio!
Kevin, I gotta say that with all that water dripping out of it, I didn't want to hang around under it either----certainly wasn't about to walk on it:)
Kevin, I gotta say that with all that water dripping out of it, I didn't want to hang around under it either----certainly wasn't about to walk on it:)