Cleveland Home Inspector Roof Inspection

Roof Leaks by the Chimney? Should You Have a Chimney Cricket?

Importance of Roof Inspections in Your Home Inspection

Some people call them chimney crickets, some call them roof crickets, and they're referred to as chimney saddles, too.  Although technically a chimney saddle is slightly different from a chimney cricket, they are so similar that the phrases have become interchangeable. In all cases the chimney cricket, roof cricket, a.k.a saddle, is used to divert water on a roof. We live in the Cleveland, Ohio area so we get plenty of rain and snow. The last thing you want is water pooling up anywhere on your roof where it can become saturated, permeate layers, and over time cause rot and destruction. The purpose of a roof is to keep the water moving - into the gutters, the downspouts and away from the house.

At Tri-County Inspections, a home inspection company in the Cleveland area, we set aside time to inspect the roof in all our Cleveland home inspections.  We're looking to make sure that you won't be buying a home with roof leaks and unknown damage happening in an area that isn't typically noticed by the sellers. So whoever does your home inspection, ask them about the roof. Are they getting up on the roof? Are they sending a drone?  What's their plan to make sure you don't put an offer on a house without knowing you have a $5,000 repair right away? Or worse - what if you need a new roof? The purpose of a home inspection is to make sure you can negotiate with the seller and prioritize your upcoming repairs based on your budget.

If you have to waive the home inspection, which we do not recommend, but we posted about it in, "Should I Waive the Home Inspection in a Seller’s Market to Win a Multiple Bid Situation?," then get the home inspection after you win the bid.  Roof issues will sneak up on you without a roof inspection. If you know the issues, you can plan when to make a repair and save money on a completely new roof or chimney.

Roof: Home Inspection in Cleveland Explains Chimney Cricket

In this short video Cleveland home inspector, Mike Vakos, shows you a chimney cricket at a Strongsville home inspection. You can easily see that with a chimney this size, if there were no chimney cricket, water would accumulate alongside the chimney. This could cause wood to rot over time and when that water gets into cracks in the chimney and then freezes, this could result in deterioration of the chimney masonry. can you imagine buying a home without knowing that something like that could be going on?

Just another reason to make sure you get a home inspection! And that the home inspector inspects the roof.

Schedule your home inspection with Mike today!

Chimney Cricket Explained By Cleveland Home Inspector

Click on the video to watch.

Cleveland Home Inspector Saves You Money

At Tri-County Inspections our goal is to inform you in an honest, easy-to-understand, down-to-earth and friendly manner of things going on in the home we're inspecting. So whether we're inspecting a home before you sell it, a pre-listing home inspection, to prepare you for what buyers may uncover OR if we're doing an inspection of a home you're considering buying - we take the approach of giving you information to make your best decisions and likely save money in the long run.

Home Inspectors Cleveland

Contact Mike Vakos, Cleveland home inspector and owner of Tri-County Inspections for your home inspection services:

 

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Kristen Urmetz profile picture
Kristen Urmetz
15 September 2026
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Mike was awesome. Went above and beyond expectations. Very detailed inspection and report. Checked every nook and cranny. Would recommend to anyone buying a home. Well worth the price, could end up saving you a mountain worth of debt.
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Justin Garver profile picture
Justin Garver
10 September 2026
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Great company to work with. Very thorough
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Omar Mere profile picture
Omar Mere
7 September 2026
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Mike was excellent. We’re purchasing our first home and he came out on short notice and did a thorough inspection of the home and stayed later than expected. Highly recommend to hire him for your next inspection
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Tee B profile picture
Tee B
25 August 2026
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Professional and knowledgeable on home inspection. Highly recommend Price was reasonable
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karen marbury
11 August 2026
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It was a pleasant experience. Mike was timely, professional, informative and thorough just to mention a few things. MyChris and I needed an inspection before purchasing the property so his skill set was very much appreciated.
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Meghan Widmer profile picture
Meghan Widmer
9 August 2026
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he was able to complete his inspection early. Quick, reasonable, reliable and responsive.
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Lora Atherton profile picture
Lora Atherton
3 August 2026
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Mike is great and incredibly thorough. He was very helpful and willing to answer any questions I had. I highly recommend contracting him for any inspection
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Kyle Small profile picture
Kyle Small
25 July 2026
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Mike was amazing. Very thorough and informative. Got the report back to us within 24 hours.
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nicholas chapman
13 July 2026
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Mike helped me so much by showing me the vents in the house. They were in the slab. He had a camera and took care of me.
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Rebecca Blackburn profile picture
Rebecca Blackburn
9 July 2026
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Mike was awesome to work with—great communication, thorough work, clear reporting, and a kind demeanor. Highly recommend!
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