Computer-implemented method for determining roof age of a structure

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for determining roof age of a structure is provided. Such methods comprise receiving data related to a plurality of structures in computer-readable form; converting the computer-readable data into a standardized database format, and based on the converted data, determining a level of roof-enforcement and coverage area for each building department serving the structures; calculating an area average roof age for a plurality of geographical areas of different scope for those structures in the coverage area of building departments passing a roof-enforcement level threshold; and determining roof age for a particular structure based on whether the structure is covered by any of the coverage areas and whether data on roof replacements for the structure is available; wherein the determined roof age may be based on roof replacement data or an area average roof age. The methods are particularly useful in the home owner's insurance industry.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method for estimating roof age of a structure, the method comprising:
 identifying a target structure for which an estimated roof age is desired;   extracting from building permit documentation, roof permit documentation, inspection documentation by permitting authorities, roof warranty documentation, or roof material delivery documentation a year in which a roof replacement was performed for a plurality of structures located within a selected geographical region encompassing the target structure, which documentation is provided in computer-readable form and stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium;   using a computer processor, determining a coverage area within the selected geographical region that has a desired level of roof enforcement by a permitting authority and is based on one or more of the following:   (i) a percentage of the number of roof permits compared with a total number of overall permits for the selected geographical region,   (ii) a percentage of the number of roof permits compared with population of the selected geographical region, or   (iii) a percentage of the number of roof permits compared with the number of structures located in the selected geographical region;   estimating a roof age of the target structure using a computer processor by determining an area average roof age for the coverage area, when the documentation does not contain roof replacement information for the target structure;   returning the estimated roof age of the target structure to a user.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the data is in a format selected from the group consisting of delimited text format, non-delimited text format, portable document format, word processing document format, database backup format, and spreadsheet format. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the data is obtained from census, county tax assessors, state building departments, insurance departments, roofing materials manufacturers, or roofing materials resellers. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising converting the computer-readable data into a standardized database format by performing one or more of:
 preparing a data file for loading the data file into a database;   loading an output of the preparation into a database;   normalizing content and structure of the data in the database so that the content and structure fits preconditions to map;   mapping the content in the database to a standardized database layout; and   importing by applying the mapping through an automated process to get the content into a standardized database format.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising using a computer processor and calculating a geographical footprint as a coverage area of a permitting authority based upon information from building permits. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the information from building permits comprises one or more of geospatial coordinates of structures, streets, census tracts, or block groups. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, using a computer processor, a coverage area within the selected geographical region having an Average level of roof enforcement by a permitting authority, such that a percentage of roof permits compared with (i) the total number of permits, (ii) the population, and/or (iii) the number of structures in the coverage area is at least average when compared to that of other coverage areas; and   determining an area average roof age, using a computer processor, based on a set of structures in the coverage area; and   returning the area average roof age to a user as the estimated roof age of the target structure.   
     
     
         28 . A computer-implemented method for estimating roof age of a target structure, the method comprising:
 identifying a target structure for which an estimated roof age is desired;   receiving data related to a plurality of structures located within a selected geographical region encompassing the target structure in computer-readable form and storing the data in a non-transitory computer-readable medium;   when the data does not contain roof replacement documentation for the target structure, using a computer processor and calculating a weighted area average roof age from year built documentation of structures other than the target structure located within the selected geographical region and/or roof replacement documentation of structures other than the target structure located within the selected geographical region;   determining a level of roof enforcement by a permitting authority of a coverage area within the selected geographical region;   determining a roof age confidence score using a computer processor as follows:   (i) if the target structure is located within the coverage area and roof replacement documentation for structures other than the target structure is available, then the roof age confidence score is scored as high;   (ii) if the target structure is located within the coverage area but roof replacement documentation for structures other than the target structure is not available, then the roof age confidence score:
 (a) is scored as high if the level of roof enforcement is above average or well above average, or 
 (b) is scored as medium if the level of roof enforcement is average, or 
 (c) is scored as low if the level of roof enforcement is seldom/none; and 
   returning to a user: (i) the weighted area average roof age as the estimated roof age of the target structure, and (ii) the roof age confidence score.   
     
     
         29 . A computer-implemented method for estimating roof age of a structure, the method comprising:
 identifying a target structure for which an estimated roof age is desired;   receiving data related to a plurality of structures located within a selected geographical region encompassing the target structure in computer-readable form and storing the data in a non-transitory computer-readable medium;   using a computer processor, when the data does not contain roof replacement documentation for the target structure, estimating roof age of the target structure based on year built documentation of structures other than the target structure that are located within the selected geographical region and/or roof replacement documentation of structures other than the target structure that are located within the selected geographical region;   converting the computer-readable roof replacement data into a standardized database format; and   auditing the computer-readable roof replacement data by verifying that converted data is equivalent to received data; and   returning the estimated roof age of the target structure to a user.   
     
     
         30 . A computer-implemented method for estimating roof age of a target structure, the method comprising:
 identifying a target structure for which an estimated roof age is desired;   receiving data related to a plurality of structures located within a selected geographical region encompassing the target structure in computer-readable form and storing the data in a non-transitory computer-readable medium;   using a computer processor, when the data does not contain roof replacement documentation for the target structure, using the year built documentation and/or roof replacement documentation of structures other than the target structure and calculating a weighted area average roof age using the equation:
   [( X   1 *( Y   P   −Y   R ))+( X   2 *( Y   P   −Y   B ))]/( X   1   +X   2 ), wherein: 
   X 1 =a number of older structures, which are structures in the coverage area having had a roof replacement in a particular year;   X 2 =a number of newer structures, which are structures in the coverage area built in a particular year that have not had a roof replacement;   Y P =a present year, which is a year in which the calculating is performed;   Y R =the particular year of the roof replacements of the older structures;   Y B =year the newer structures were built;   (Y P −Y R )=age of the roof replacements for the older structures; and   (Y P −Y B )=age of roofs of the newer structures; and   returning the weighted area average roof age as the estimated roof age of the target structure to a user.