Homeowner Tips
What Actually Happens During a Professional Roof Inspection
A real inspection is more than a walk-around. Here is the full checklist we work through and the report you should expect afterward.
By Taylor Smith · · 5 min read
If someone is on your roof for six minutes, that was a sales visit, not an inspection.
Exterior, slope by slope
Test squares marked on each elevation, impact counts recorded, granule condition, shingle sealing, nail pops, and blistering. Every slope gets photographed, including the ones with no damage — absence of damage is data too.
Penetrations and flashing
Pipe boots, chimney counterflashing, step flashing at walls, valleys, skylight curbs, and satellite mounts. This is where most leaks actually originate.
Edges and accessories
Drip edge, rake metal, ridge caps, and vents. Ridge caps take the highest wind load and fail first.
Attic
Deck condition from below, daylight through the sheathing, staining, rusted nails, insulation depth, and whether soffit intake is actually open.
The report
You should receive dated photos, a written condition summary, an estimate of remaining life, and a clear statement of what is storm damage versus what is wear. If a claim makes sense, the report is what supports it. If it does not, a good roofer tells you that too.
