Roof Inspections

Roofs are a little like shrubs. Many of us have met the overgrown shrub in shears-to-branch combat and wondered how in blazes we could make this a thing of beauty (again). And most of us have at least once heaved a sigh over the results of our labors and wished we had called in a professional, since clearly the shrub had won.

So it is with roofs. Periodically inspect and maintain yours and you will have a serviceable, easy-tomaintain roof. Ignore it and one day you may be on the phone with a roofing contractor, talking about replacing dry-rotted sheathing or water-soaked roofing insulation or deteriorated underlayment.

Learning to do your own roof inspection isn't at all difficult, and it's satisfying: the more you know about any part of your house, the better equipped you are to maintain it yourself.

The first step to take in a roof inspection is to learn the age of the roof and its expected life span. (If possible, ask the previous homeowner when the roof was put on.) Then, in light of your climate, evaluate how much longer you can expect it to last. If, say, you live in a moderate climate and you have a 15-year-old asphalt shingle roof that's supposed to last 20 or 25 years, you can expect to find a somewhat worn but still serviceable roof. On the other hand, if yours is a 25-year-old wood shingle roof with a 20-year life expectancy in a moderate climate, you're likely to find a roof that needs replacing.

Begin your inspection from inside the attic (or the house, if you have open-beam ceilings); then head outdoors for the exterior check. Tools you'll need are a good strong flashlight, a thin screwdriver, a scraping knife, and a ladder.

It's a good idea to inspect your roof in autumn, just before the hard weather hits (and when you're likely to be up there anyway, clearing out the leaf collection in gutters and valleys). Then in the spring, when you have an opportunity to assess whatever damage winter may have done, inspect the roof again.