Roof inspection guide: what to look at from the ground, and what needs a professional
Short answer: you can learn a lot about a roof without climbing on it. Walk the yard with binoculars, look inside the house, and write down what you see. The rest, such as walking the surface, testing flashing and reading the attic, belongs to someone trained and equipped for it. This guide sorts the two, explains what a Virginia home inspection report must cover, and lists what to ask any roofer.
- Binoculars from the yard cover gutters, siding stains, missing shingles and loose flashing
- OSHA says workers six feet or more above a lower level risk serious injury or death in a fall
- Virginia sets minimum roof items for a licensed home inspection report
Start on the ground
Stay off the roof and off the ladder for this part. OSHA's fall prevention campaign says a worker six feet or more above a lower level is at risk of serious injury or death in a fall, and it lists ladders and roofs among the sources. IBHS adds that you should avoid walking on a roof, especially a wet one, and hire a professional for any on-the-roof inspection. Everything below can be done standing on the lawn.
IBHS describes the exterior check as a walk around the house, with binoculars or a drone doing the close work. Take a phone for photos and note the date. The list below follows IBHS's roof maintenance page, grouped by what you are looking at.
- Roof surface
- For asphalt shingles, look for loose, cracked, missing, curling or blistering shingles and worn granules. For tile, including clay, concrete and slate, cracked, broken or detached pieces. For wood, rot or insect damage. For metal, rust, loose screws, corroded fasteners, dents or peeling paint.
- Valleys and edges
- Valleys are where two slopes meet. IBHS says debris in a valley blocks runoff and can leave water pooling, so look for leaves, branches and dirt there, and for loose or bent metal at the roof edge.
- Flashing
- Flashing is the metal strip at edges, valleys, chimneys and other openings. IBHS lists loose, bent or missing sections, gaps, rust and cracks as the signs to note.
- Pipes and vents
- Look at the rubber seal around plumbing vent pipes, which IBHS says can crack, split or wear out, and at vent housings and caps for loose seals or missing fasteners.
- Chimney and skylights
- From the yard you can see chimney flashing gaps or rust, missing mortar and cracked or crumbling brick, and cracks or impact damage on a skylight, and looseness, warping or gaps in the flashing at its curb. Fogging inside the glass is a leak sign IBHS names, visible from indoors.
- Gutters and downspouts
- Check that they are anchored, have no missing, loose or disconnected sections and are not holding debris, vegetation or shingle granules. IBHS says downspouts should send water at least three feet from the foundation.
- Siding and trees
- IBHS lists water stains on siding among the signs to note. Overhanging branches can rub the roof, drop debris and give animals access, and dead or diseased trees are a separate risk.
Source: IBHS, "Extend the Life of Your Roof Through Routine Maintenance" (published September 29, 2025). Items rearranged and shortened by us.
The same page says not to lift a shingle to peek underneath, since that breaks the sealant on its back, and not to pressure wash asphalt shingles, which strips granules and can force water under them.
Signs inside the house
Some of the clearest roof evidence is indoors. IBHS lists water stains, peeling paint or wallpaper, damp insulation and mold on ceilings, walls and in the attic, and says to trace moisture back toward the likely entry points: chimneys, vents, pipes and valleys.
- Photograph and date it. Take a wide shot of the room and a close shot of the stain. IBHS suggests documenting inspections, repairs and contractor visits.
- Contain the water. IBHS suggests a bucket or tarp under an active leak, furniture and valuables moved aside, and the spot marked for your contractor. These steps only limit damage.
- Dry what got wet. EPA says that when damp materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours of a leak, mold will not grow in most cases.
- Know that mold can hide. EPA names roof materials above ceiling tiles as a place for hidden mold when a roof leaks or insulation is insufficient, and suggests an experienced professional if you suspect it.
EPA also says to clean and repair roof gutters regularly, and our gutter maintenance post and roof ventilation post cover those two topics in their own right.
What each vantage point can and cannot show
A ground check is safe and repeatable, but limited by angle and distance. IBHS says a roof can look fine from the ground while a close inspection finds loose flashing, deteriorating seals or attic water damage.
From the yard
Overall shape and color changes, missing or displaced pieces, gutter condition, stains on siding, branches over the roof, a chimney or vent that looks off.
From inside
Ceiling and wall stains, peeling paint, damp or mold-marked insulation and the underside of the roof deck where the attic is reachable. Skylight fogging shows from below.
On the roof surface
Seal condition, fasteners, flashing detail, penetration seals and valley or edge metal up close. IBHS says to hire a professional for this part.
Reading one odd sign: buckled shingles
Buckled, wavy shingles can be seen from the ground, so they make a useful example of how a ground observation becomes a question for a professional. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) technical bulletin on buckling ties the pattern on the roof to a likely cause.
| What you see | What ARMA says it points to |
|---|---|
| Distortions lined up with the seams between deck panels or boards | Moisture-related movement of the wood deck |
| Distortions scattered at random across the roof | Wrinkled underlayment under the shingles |
| A few isolated distortions in random places | Specific causes such as nails not driven flush, shingles deformed before installation, or foreign material underneath |
Source: ARMA, "Plain Facts About Buckled Shingles" (page dated March 14, 2024).
ARMA says that if shingles buckle even though installation steps were followed, the roof system should be professionally evaluated for the root cause. Copy that pattern: note the sign and where it sits, then ask for a diagnosis.
Who inspects, and what the report must name
Two different kinds of inspection get called a roof inspection in Virginia, and the rules are not the same.
A licensed home inspection
The Code of Virginia defines a home inspection as an inspection of a residential building, for compensation, by a licensed home inspector, with a written evaluation of the readily accessible components, roof included. The contract may limit the scope. Regulation 18VAC15-40-130 lists what the report must describe about the roof system.
| Roof item in the regulation | What the text adds |
|---|---|
| Roof covering | The method of inspecting it must be noted and explained |
| Roof ventilation | Listed as its own item |
| Roof drainage system | Includes gutters and downspouts |
| Roof flashings | If readily visible |
| Skylights, chimneys, roof penetrations | Antennae and other roof attachments are not included |
| Roof framing and sheathing | Listed as its own item |
| Attic and attic insulation | Two further items |
Source: 18VAC15-40-130(C)(2), Virginia Administrative Code, opened October 26, 2026.
Two details are worth carrying into any inspection. The regulation defines "readily accessible" as available without moving or removing obstacles, which is why a cluttered attic can limit a report. And where a component cannot be inspected, the report must identify it and explain why.
A roof-only inspection by a contractor
The same regulation says a person without a home inspector license who inspects only a component or system of a residential building, such as the roof, is not performing a home inspection. The report list above is therefore the standard for a licensed home inspection; this regulation does not say it applies to a roofer's roof-only visit, so ask what the roofer's scope will be. Virginia's contractor regulation defines roofing contracting as installing, repairing, removing or improving the materials that form a watertight, weather resistant surface for roofs and decks. Check any roofer's license on the DPOR license lookup.
When to schedule one
IBHS recommends a professional roof inspection once a year and after major storms, and annual inspections once a roof is past the five-year mark. It adds that a roof may be considered aged out when leaks and repairs keep recurring despite maintenance.
- After a storm that dropped branches, hail or debris on the roof (see our storm damage post and hail post).
- When a ground check or an indoor stain turns up something from the lists above.
- On a calendar schedule you set once and keep, with photos filed by date.
On insurance, IBHS says a leak may be covered when a covered peril such as wind, hail or fire causes it, and not when wear and tear or lack of maintenance does. Coverage is set by your policy, so ask your insurer, and see our roofing insurance page for the neutral background.
What to ask any roofer who inspects
Borrowing the logic of the Virginia report rules gives a fair checklist for any inspector, whether or not the state rules apply to that visit.
- How will the roof covering be inspected: from the ground, with a drone, on the surface or from a ladder? Ask for the method in writing.
- Which parts could not be reached or seen, and why? A clear answer is better than a silent gap.
- Will the report include dated photos of each slope, the flashing, each penetration and the gutters?
- Does it cover the attic side: ventilation, insulation and any stains?
- Are findings separated into what is damaged, what is worn and what is only worth watching?
- Is any repair scope written separately from the findings, so you can compare quotes?
- What is the contractor's Virginia license number, class and specialty?
Roofers of Arlington installs, repairs and replaces roofs, including flat roof systems and metal roofing, in Arlington and nearby. You can book a phone consultation to talk through what you saw on your own walk-around: the address, the building type and the signs on your list.
Where an inspection leads in Arlington
A finding turns into repair or replacement, and in Arlington who decides and which approvals apply depends on the building. The Arlington roofing hub walks through the county's permit table, the building-type test and historic district review. These guides cover specific building types:
- Condo and co-op roofs: who decides and who the inspector should answer to when the roof is shared.
- Slate roofs: what the historic papers say about slate.
- 1940s subdivision houses and Columbia Pike garden apartments.
- Flat-roof apartments in Clarendon and Lyon Park.
For what follows a diagnosis, see roof repair and roof replacement, and roofing materials for how the covering types differ.
Primary sources behind this guide
Opened October 26, 2026.
- IBHS: Extend the Life of Your Roof Through Routine Maintenance (published September 29, 2025)
- OSHA: Fall Prevention Campaign
- EPA: A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
- ARMA: Plain Facts About Buckled Shingles (page dated March 14, 2024)
- 18VAC15-40-130, home inspection report, with -10, definitions and -20, necessity for licensure
- Code of Virginia 54.1-500, definitions
- 18VAC50-22-30, definitions of specialty services
- Virginia DPOR license lookup
Questions people ask
Can I check my own roof for problems without going up?
Yes, to a point. The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) describes an exterior check from the ground with binoculars or a drone: gutters or downspouts draining improperly, water stains on siding, missing shingles, loose flashing and other visible damage. The same page says a roof that looks fine from the ground may still hide problems, so this is a first look only.
Is it safe to climb onto my own roof to inspect it?
IBHS advises avoiding walking on a roof, especially when wet, and recommends hiring a professional for an on-the-roof inspection. OSHA says workers six feet or more above a lower level risk serious injury or death in a fall.
Should I lift a shingle to see what is underneath?
No. IBHS says not to lift asphalt or synthetic composite shingles to check underneath, because the back of the shingle carries a sealant and lifting breaks that seal, weakening the protection.
Does a home inspector or a roofer inspect the roof?
Either may, but the legal setting differs. A Virginia home inspection is performed for compensation by a licensed home inspector and includes a written evaluation of the readily accessible components of a residential building. The Board's regulation says a person without that license who inspects only one component or system, such as a roof, is not considered to be performing a home inspection. A roofer's roof-only look therefore follows the roofer's own scope, not the home inspector report rules.
What does a Virginia home inspection report have to say about the roof?
Regulation 18VAC15-40-130 lists the roof items: roof covering, with the method of inspection noted and explained; roof ventilation; gutters and downspouts; flashings if readily visible; skylights, chimneys and roof penetrations; roof framing and sheathing; the attic; and attic insulation.
I found a stain on a ceiling. What should I do first?
IBHS suggests placing a bucket or tarp under an active leak, moving furniture and valuables, and marking the spot for your contractor, and it notes that temporary steps only limit damage. EPA says that when wet or damp materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours after a leak, in most cases mold will not grow.
How often should a roof be inspected?
IBHS recommends a professional inspection once a year and after major storms, and annual inspections once a roof has passed the five-year mark. For a building with a shared roof, such as a condo, check the association documents for who sets the schedule.
Will an inspection report help with an insurance claim?
IBHS says documented, routine maintenance helps ensure claims are honored after severe weather, but it also says coverage depends on your policy, the cause of the damage and your deductible, and that wear and tear or lack of maintenance is not a covered cause. Ask your insurer what it wants to see before you need it.
Talk through your roof with Roofers of Arlington
Share the address, what you are seeing on the roof and the decision you need to make. We will tell you what to expect before anything is scheduled.