Roof inspection checklist for inspectors

A good roof inspection checks the covering, the flashing, the penetrations, the drainage and the underside of the roof deck from the attic, then reports both the conditions you saw and the method you used to see them. You are looking for signs of damage, wear, improper installation and active or past leaks, not estimating the remaining life to the year. When something is outside what you can judge visually, you say so and recommend evaluation by a qualified roofing contractor.

This checklist follows the order most inspectors work in on site. Adjust it to your state's standards and your own standard of practice, such as the InterNACHI Standards of Practice or the ASHI Standard of Practice, which describe what a roof inspection includes and what it does not.

How should you inspect the roof: walk it, ladder it or fly it?

Your standard of practice usually lets you choose a method, as long as you report the method and any limitations. The right choice depends on the roof, the weather and your own safety, never on what the client or agent expects.

Method	Good for	Watch out for
Walking the roof	Low-slope and moderate-pitch roofs in dry conditions; close look at fasteners, flashing and granule loss	Steep pitch, wet or frosted surfaces, fragile coverings (tile, slate, some metal) that can break under foot
From a ladder at the eaves	Steep or fragile roofs; small single-story homes	Upper slopes and the far side of ridges may be out of view
Drone	Tall, steep or large roofs; slopes not visible from the ground	Local airspace rules, wind, battery life, and fine details such as nail pops that a camera can miss
From the ground with binoculars	Unsafe access, weather, or roofs that cannot be walked	The most limited view; say so plainly in the report

If you fly, read drones for roof inspections for the licensing and practical side. Whatever you choose, write it down. "The roof was inspected from a ladder at the eaves and by drone. The north slope above the garage was viewed only from the drone at a distance" is far more defensible than a report that is silent on method.

When to stay off the roof

Rain, frost, dew or algae making the surface slick
Pitches you are not equipped or trained to walk
Tile, slate, wood shake and some metal panels that can be damaged by foot traffic
Visible soft spots, sagging or a deck that flexes
Wind strong enough to affect your balance or the ladder
No safe place to set and tie off the ladder

None of these is a failure on your part. They are limitations, and they belong in the report.

Roof inspection checklist: the covering

Start with the field of the roof, slope by slope. Note the covering type, the approximate number of layers if visible at an edge, and general condition.

Asphalt shingles

Granule loss, especially in gutters, at downspout outlets and in patterns on the shingles
Curling, cupping, clawing or blistering
Cracked, torn, lifted or missing tabs
Exposed or raised fasteners and nail pops
Uneven courses, misaligned tabs or short exposure that may suggest an installation issue
Patches of different shingles that suggest past repairs
Soft or spongy feel underfoot, if you are walking it

Metal roofing

Loose, missing or backed-out fasteners and dried-out washers
Rust, especially at cut edges, seams and around fasteners
Open or separated seams and lifted panels
Dents from hail or foot traffic
Sealant at panel laps and trim that is cracked or missing

Tile, slate and wood

Cracked, slipped or missing pieces
Broken pieces at walkways that suggest past foot traffic
Moss, debris buildup and areas that stay wet
Splitting, cupping and deterioration on wood shakes and shingles

Low-slope and flat roofs

Ponding water or staining that suggests water stands for long periods
Blisters, ridges, open seams and membrane punctures
Surface cracking and loss of protective coating or gravel
Condition of the edges, scuppers and drains

Flashing and penetrations: where most roof leaks start

Most leaks come from the places where the roof covering meets something else. Give these areas extra time and extra photos.

Chimneys: step and counter flashing, the cricket on the uphill side of wider chimneys, mortar and crown condition, and any rain cap
Roof-to-wall intersections: step flashing that is present and visible, kick-out flashing where a roof edge ends against a wall
Valleys: open or closed, debris buildup, worn shingles where water concentrates
Plumbing vents: cracked rubber boots, loose collars, missing storm collars
Skylights: flashing, staining around the curb, cracked or fogged glazing
Exhaust vents and roof vents: secure, flashed, not damaged
Satellite dish mounts and solar racking: fasteners through the roof and how they are sealed

Heavy reliance on surface sealant or roofing cement at a flashing point is worth noting. Sealant can be a temporary fix that needs regular maintenance, and you cannot see what is underneath it.

Gutters, downspouts and roof drainage

Roof drainage connects to the exterior and grading part of your inspection, covered in more detail in exterior, grading and drainage.

Gutters secure, sloped toward downspouts, not sagging or pulling away
Debris, vegetation and granules in the gutters
Leaking seams and end caps
Downspouts connected and discharging away from the foundation
Roof areas that drain onto a lower roof without a diverter or splash protection
Drip edge present along eaves and rakes where visible

Check the roof from the attic side

The attic tells you what the roof surface often cannot. Bring a strong flashlight and, if you use one, a moisture meter. Framing and ventilation get their own pass during the attic inspection.

Staining on the roof sheathing, rafters and trusses, especially around chimneys, vents and valleys
Daylight visible through the deck where it should not be
Delamination, sagging or soft-looking sheathing
Nails that missed the framing, and frost or rust on nail tips in cold weather
Signs of condensation that point to ventilation or air-leakage problems rather than a roof leak

A stain alone does not tell you whether a leak is active. If a moisture meter shows elevated readings or the area is wet, say so. If it reads dry, report the stain as evidence of past moisture and recommend monitoring or evaluation.

What a home inspector does not do on a roof

Staying in scope protects you and gives the client a useful report. Typically you are not:

Predicting the exact remaining life of the covering
Certifying the roof or guaranteeing it will not leak
Determining the age of the roof from the shingles alone, unless your report clearly calls it an estimate
Lifting shingles, removing tiles or cutting into the roof
Judging whether the roof meets manufacturer installation requirements or insurance underwriting rules
Assessing hail or storm damage for an insurance claim

If the client needs a roof certification or an insurance-specific form, that is a separate service. Four-point and wind mitigation inspections are examples of that kind of work where it is offered.

How to word roof findings

Use the observation, implication and recommendation pattern described in defect narratives. Keep the observation factual and the recommendation specific about who should look at it.

Example: missing shingles

Several shingles are missing on the south slope near the ridge. Missing shingles expose the underlayment and can allow water into the roof structure. Recommend a qualified roofing contractor repair the affected area and evaluate the rest of the roof covering.

Example: worn covering

The asphalt shingles show widespread granule loss and curling on the south and west slopes. These are signs of a covering in the later part of its service life. Recommend the client budget for replacement and have a qualified roofing contractor evaluate its condition and remaining life.

Example: attic stain

Water staining was observed on the roof sheathing around the plumbing vent in the attic. The area read dry with a moisture meter at the time of the inspection, so the stain may be from a past leak. Recommend a qualified roofing contractor evaluate the vent flashing and repair as needed, and monitor the area after heavy rain.

Example: limitation

The roof was not walked due to wet conditions and was viewed from a ladder at the eaves. Portions of the upper slopes were not visible. Conditions in those areas are not included in this report.

Photos that make the report useful

One wide shot per slope so the client can orient themselves
A close-up of every defect, with a caption that names the location
A photo of each chimney, skylight and vent area, even when it looks fine
Attic photos of any staining, with the matching exterior location if you can
A photo showing why you did not walk the roof, when you did not

Home inspection photos best practices has more on captions.

Putting the checklist into your workflow

The checklist works best when it is part of your report template, so every roof gets the same pass and the same structure. In iSpector, inspection reports let you customize sections, items and severity levels and save wording to a comment library, and the inspector app keeps photos and notes with the inspection offline, which helps when you are on a ladder far from good signal.

Key takeaways

Choose the inspection method for safety and the roof type, then record the method and any slopes you could not see.
Spend the most time on flashing and penetrations, where most leaks start.
Always check the underside of the roof deck from the attic and note whether stains read wet or dry.
Stay in scope: no certifications, no exact remaining-life numbers, no insurance damage assessments.
Recommend a qualified roofing contractor for anything you cannot fully evaluate.

Roof inspection checklist for home inspectors