1. Article Body
You do not need to climb on the roof to inspect it usefully. Most of what matters is visible from the attic and from the ground.
Safety first
Do not walk a roof you are not equipped for. Wet, steep, tile, aged shingle and anything over a compromised deck are all situations for someone with fall protection.
Everything below can be done safely.
Start in the attic, on a bright day
Take a flashlight and turn the attic light off.
Look for daylight through the deck. Any is a water path.
Look for staining on the underside of the deck and on the rafters. Note whether it is one point or spread across an area.
Press any discolored timber. Softness means rot.
Check the insulation for damp or compressed patches.
Check that soffit vents are clear and not packed with insulation.
Look at the nails in cold weather. Frost on nail points means moisture is reaching the deck.
Then outside, from the ground
Walk the full perimeter with binoculars if you have them.
Look along the ridge for lifted or missing caps.
Check every valley for debris and for any displaced material.
Check flashing at the chimney, at any wall junction and around skylights.
Look at each plumbing vent for a split or perished boot.
Scan the field for missing, lifted, curled or creased material.
Check the gutters for granules and for sagging.
Look at the fascia and soffit for staining, rot or paint failure, which usually indicates water has been overflowing.
Around the house
Check the ground below the eaves for granules, fragments or fasteners.
Check for trees overhanging or touching the roof.
Check that water drains away from the foundation rather than pooling.
Inside the house
Walk the top floor ceilings and the tops of exterior walls looking for stains, particularly in corners and around chimney chases.
What to record
Photograph every finding wide, medium and close, with a date.
Keep them in one folder with your roof file. Over years this becomes the record that settles a warranty, an insurance or a resale question.
Cadence
Twice a year, spring and fall.
After any severe wind, hail or major storm, whether or not you can see damage, because insurance reporting deadlines run from the date of the event.
When to call a professional
Daylight through the deck. Soft or rotted timber. Sagging anywhere. Active leaking. Storm damage you may claim for. Anything you cannot see clearly from the ground on a roof over ten years old.
