Your roof is an important part of your home’s defense against the weather. Unfortunately, it can begin to show signs of wear long before it begins letting the elements into your home, which can mean that you’re overlooking minor repairs that could save you time and money later on. As part of your regular home maintenance, make sure that you inspect your roof at least twice yearly for signs of damage or a potential need for repair. Roof repairs are less costly and invasive than a full roof replacement, and if you take care of them in a timely way, they can help you preserve your roof’s integrity for longer.
Interior/Exterior Inspection
A lot of people put off inspecting their roof because they believe that it can only be done by getting up on the roof itself. While this is certainly a valid, and sometimes important, method of roof inspection, it isn’t the only method.
A good roof inspection should actually be done from both the exterior and the interior of your home. Some roof issues can only be seen by the trained eye on the roof itself, and may not be obvious to the homeowner even if you were to climb up there. Therefore, you should be taking the time to look at your roof from at least two perspectives to check for various issues.
Perimeter Inspection
You can tell a lot about your roof from the ground. While you might not be able to see things like bruised mats, you may be able to see signs of roof deterioration such as:
- Curling shingles
- Broken shingles
- Missing shingles
- Missing flashing
Take a look at your roof from as many angles as you can see from the ground. If possible, you may also want to climb a ladder to inspect the roof from a closer vantage point as well. You don’t actually have to climb onto the roof if you’re uncomfortable to see these signs of damage.
Check Your Gutters
Your gutters can tell you a lot about your roof’s condition. When you clean your gutters each season, check them for signs of roof decay at the same time. One sign of a roof in need of repair or replacement is a loosening of the protective granules on the surface of the shingles. During a rain or wind storm, loosened granules will wash into the gutters. Finding an excessive amount may indicate that your roof is in need of repair.
Interior Inspection
While looking at your roof from the outside can tell you a lot about its condition, you’ll learn even more by taking a look from the indoors. Head up into your attic where you should look at the underside of your roof deck, as well as around the attic itself for signs of roof damage like:
- Water stains
- Wood rot
- Mold
- Mildew
Sometimes a roof leak starts out small – too small for it to make its way down into your living area where you’ll notice it right away. In this case, the water may stay confined to the roof deck itself or to your attic. It will show up as water stains or signs of water damage in the area. Left unchecked it will eventually lead to things like wood rot or black mold, which can require more serious repairs, so it’s a good idea to take a look at your roof’s underside at least twice yearly as part of your home’s regular maintenance schedule.
Checking the Roof Itself
If you’re comfortable with climbing up on your roof, you may be able to get a better idea of any potential problems that can’t be seen from the ground. For example, you may be missing shingles from your ridge cap or inside a valley that isn’t visible from the street, and those may have come off recently enough that you won’t find signs of water damage in the attic yet.
When you’re inspecting the roof, try to break it into sections, and take a look at each one separately. This will give you a better idea of how wide spread any potential problems are. For example, if you find a single section of roof with broken or missing shingles, but the rest of the roof seems OK, you may be able to get away with a simple roof repair. On the other hand, finding that you have widespread damage may be indicative of a need for roof replacement.
Check Your Roof Regularly
To make sure that your roof is in the best possible shape, be sure to add a roof inspection to your regular yearly home maintenance. Once to twice a year, take the time to look at your roof inside and out to ensure that things like major leaks or the need for a roof replacement don’t take you by surprise.