How to Inspect Your Roof's Vulnerable Areas, Roofer Tips

The secret to prolonging your beloved roof is to have regular roof maintenance and inspections. Fortunately, there are some easy things you can do on your own to protect your roof from damage and expensive repairs, including doing a quick inspection of your own.

Roof Surface

The surface of the roof includes the shingles, nails, flashing, fasteners, nails and roofing granules. You can easily see signs of damage like loose shingles, fasteners, crooked nails or damaged flashing. It’s important to spot these issues early on to prevent them from worsening and having structural issues that are costly to fix.

Your Roof’s External Structure

You should also check the support system below your roofing system. Your roofing contractors will tell you that checking your system for signs of unevenness or sagging will warn you that it’s time to replace your roof.

Attic Space

The condition of your attic directly affects your roof’s performance. This is the reason why roofers emphasize the importance of attic ventilation. Be wary of signs of mold, staining, rot, rusted nails and damaged wood, which indicate that you have too much moisture in your attic space.

Ceiling

Try to spot check the ceiling below your attic. See if there are any leaks or water streaks, or even ventilation problems. Spotting these issues can indicate that you have insulation issues with your roofing system.

Where our inspectors look first

When our team inspects a roof in Sherman, they start with each slope of the roof, then move to the valleys and the ridge. Last, they check and photograph every piece of metal on the roof: plumbing vent covers, heat and stove vent covers, caps, and any chimney flashing.

A safe roof self-check, and what to photograph

You can learn a lot without climbing up. Do this check once a year and after big storms, and keep the photos in one dated folder.

From the ground:

• Use your phone’s zoom to photograph each slope. Lifted or missing shingles, bent flashing and dark bare patches all show up in a zoomed photo.
• Photograph the gutters and downspouts, including any granules collecting at the bottom.
• Look along the ridge. It should run straight, not dip.

In the attic:

• On a sunny day, switch off the light and look for daylight through the decking.
• After rain, use a flashlight around pipes, chimneys and vents for damp wood or stains.
• Check the underside of the deck near the eaves for dark staining or mold.

Inside the home:

• Check ceilings in upstairs rooms and closets, where a slow leak can go unnoticed for months.

A dated photo set shows how the roof changes over time, and it can help if you ever need to show its condition before a storm. If something looks wrong, book a roof maintenance visit.

To learn more about what Lankford Roofing & Construction LLC can do for you, don’t hesitate to give us a call today at 903-465-7677 for Texas and at (580) 920-1433 for Oklahoma. We also have a contact form you can easily fill out to get in touch with us, and we’ll get back to you right away with your free quote.