Roof Inspection Checklist for Homeowners

Most roof problems show up somewhere you can safely look: from the yard, from a window, from the attic or on a ceiling. This checklist covers all four. Run through it twice a year and after any serious storm, and write down the date and what you saw, because a record of how a spot has changed is useful to a roofer and to an insurer.

Before you start

Stay off the roof unless you have to be on it. Ladders and roof surfaces cause serious injuries every year, and a wet, steep or mossy roof is slippery. Everything below works from the ground with a pair of binoculars and from inside the house with a flashlight.

• Pick a dry, bright day.
• Take your phone to photograph anything that looks off, with something in the frame for scale.
• Note which side of the house each problem is on, so the roofer can find it again.

From the ground

Walk all the way around the house and look up at each roof plane.

• Shingles that are missing, cracked, curled at the edges or lifted.
• Dark patches or bare spots where the granules have worn away.
• A ridge line that sags, or dips and bulges in the roof plane. These can point to framing or decking problems and deserve a professional look.
• Flashing around the chimney, skylights and walls that is lifted, rusted or pulling away, or sealant that has cracked.
• Plumbing vent boots with split or hardened rubber.
• Moss, algae streaks or heavy leaf buildup, especially in valleys and behind the chimney.
• Ridge caps that are loose or missing.
• Fascia, soffit and trim with soft spots, peeling paint or rot.
• Gutters pulling away from the house, or sagging between brackets.

In the gutters and downspouts

• Shingle granules collecting at the downspout outlet. A little is normal on a new roof, but a steady amount on an older roof suggests the shingles are wearing out.
• Standing water, or gutters packed with debris, which can back water up under the first row of shingles.
• Downspouts that dump water against the foundation instead of away from it.

In the attic

Go up on a day with some daylight, and bring a flashlight.

• Daylight showing through the roof boards, other than at vents.
• Dark stains, damp patches or drips on the underside of the decking, particularly around chimneys and vent pipes.
• Insulation that is wet, compressed or stained.
• Rusty nail tips poking through the decking, or frost on them in winter. Both point to moisture condensing in the attic.
• Mold or a musty smell.
• Insulation stuffed into the eaves so it blocks the soffit vents.
• Sagging rafters, cracked framing or a deck that flexes when pressed.

Do not step between the joists onto the ceiling below. Stay on the framing or on boards laid across it.

Inside the house

• Brown or yellow rings on ceilings or at the tops of walls. A faint ring that has not grown may be old, so mark its edge with a pencil and the date and check it again.
• Paint that is bubbling or peeling near the ceiling.
• Damp, musty rooms below the attic.
• Stains around skylights or the chimney breast.

After a storm

Wind and hail can damage a roof without producing a leak that day. After a serious storm:

• Look for debris on the roof and in the yard, including shingles, and for dented gutters, vents and flashing, which can show where hail struck.
• Check the attic for new dampness.
• Photograph everything with the date before anything is moved or repaired.

If you plan to file a claim, the steps in the storm damage section cover documentation. Whether the policy pays is the insurer’s call, made under its own terms.

When to stop and call a professional

Call a roofer, or a building professional, if you find any of these:

• Active leaks or damp insulation.
• A sagging roof line or a deck that flexes.
• Large areas of missing or lifted shingles.
• Damaged flashing at a chimney or wall.
• Anything you are unsure about and cannot see well from the ground.

Bring your notes and photos. Before you call, read the hiring guide so you know what a written quote should include. If a word on a report is unfamiliar, the roofing terms page explains it.

Building rules differ between towns, and shingle manufacturers publish their own installation instructions. Neither is replaced by a checklist, so treat this as a way to notice problems, not as a repair guide.