How to inspect your roof for damage.
A complete homeowner's guide — every roof type, every damage type, in plain English. Walk your property in 30 minutes and know whether to call us today, schedule next week, or just monitor.
Safety first — 99% of inspections happen from the ground.
You don't need to walk your roof to spot 90% of damage. A pair of binoculars and a phone camera beat climbing every time — and you go home in one piece.
Inside the house — what to check first.
Most leaks show up inside long before they're visible outside. Start here, then take the evidence outside.
Yellow/brown rings, bubbled paint, peeling drywall tape, fresh cracks following a storm.
Pinholes of daylight at penetrations, dark streaks on rafters, matted/wet insulation, rusted nail tips.
Active drips, glossy wet wood, water trails on the underside of decking.
Water stains on the framing inside the chase — flashing is the #1 leak source.
Rust on the unit, water in the pan, ceiling stains directly under roof curbs.
Musty, earthy, or mildew smell upstairs that wasn't there before = trapped moisture in insulation.
Walk the perimeter — ground-level exterior checks.
Walk a full lap around your house. Binoculars in hand. Take photos of anything that looks off — date-stamped photos are gold for insurance.
Granules piling up at downspout outlets = shingle wear. Sagging or pulled-away gutters = fascia rot.
Shingle pieces, tile fragments, metal trim, or insulation tufts after a storm.
Peeling paint, soft wood (poke gently), wasp nests in gaps, daylight where there shouldn't be.
Vertical staining below scuppers or canales = roof drainage failure (huge in ABQ).
Cracked rubber boots, lifted metal, exposed nails, missing sealant.
Bent, missing, or pulled-away metal at the roof's perimeter.
What 'damage' actually looks like on your kind of roof.
Every system fails differently. Find yours and learn the exact signs to look for from the ground.
- Bald patches where granules are gone (shows black asphalt mat).
- Curled, cupped, or clawed edges — UV damage, near end of life.
- Missing tabs after wind events (especially gable ends and ridges).
- Hail bruises: round black dimples with crushed granules, soft when pressed.
- Dark streaks (gloeocapsa algae) — cosmetic but indicates moisture retention.
- Exposed nails on ridge caps — rusted nails = guaranteed leak path.
- Cracked, chipped, or slipped tiles — usually from foot traffic or impact.
- Faded color in patches (efflorescence) — cosmetic on concrete tile.
- Exposed underlayment between tiles — UV destroys felt in <12 months here.
- Broken hip/ridge mortar or 'boost' caulking falling off.
- Missing bird stops at the eaves (allows nesting and water entry).
- Fastener backout — screws walking up out of the panel (rubber washer visible).
- Oil canning (wavy panels) — cosmetic unless seams are stressed.
- Rust streaks at cut edges, fasteners, or where dissimilar metals touch.
- Sealant failure at ridge cap, transitions, and pipe boots.
- Loose or missing closure strips at eaves and ridges.
- Ponding water lasting >48 hours after rain — doubles UV degradation.
- Blisters or bubbles — trapped moisture or air under the membrane.
- Fishmouths (open seam laps) — water tracks straight underneath.
- Punctures from HVAC service tech foot traffic or dropped tools.
- Shrinkage at parapets and curbs (especially old EPDM).
- Chalky, brittle surface — UV degradation, membrane near end of life.
- Alligatoring — scaly, cracked surface from UV and oil loss.
- Bare patches where gravel has migrated (especially at scuppers and drains).
- Blisters in the cap sheet, especially on south-facing slopes.
- Open laps — seams separating where the torch didn't fully bond.
- Pitch pocket failure at penetrations (sealant cracked or sunken).
- Dirt pickup (silicone) — cosmetic, doesn't affect waterproofing.
- Crazing or hairline cracks — coating is thinning, needs recoat.
- Bubbles or delamination — moisture trapped under coating during application.
- Bare spots where coating wore through to substrate.
- Failed reinforcement fabric at seams and penetrations.
Every kind of damage we see in New Mexico.
Hail, wind, UV, monsoon, freeze-thaw, pests, foot traffic — what causes it, what it looks like, and whether insurance will pay.
- • Round dimples on shingles with granules knocked off — feels soft like a bruise.
- • Splatter marks on metal vents, AC fins, gutters, downspouts — same impact pattern proves hail size.
- • Cracked or chipped tile (look at the leading edge of each tile).
- • Dings on metal panels, dented gutters, broken skylight glass.
- • Fresh exposed wood on fence tops or deck rails — confirms hail was large enough to damage roof.
- • Missing or lifted shingles — gable ends and ridge are first to go.
- • Creased shingles (folded and laid back down) — seal strip is broken, will leak next rain.
- • Displaced ridge cap tiles or mortar chunks on the ground.
- • Metal flashing peeled back at walls, chimneys, or eaves.
- • Debris impact damage from tree limbs or yard furniture.
- • Faded, chalky shingle color (especially south-facing slopes).
- • Curled or cupped shingle edges — asphalt has lost oils, mat is contracting.
- • Brittle, cracked rubber pipe boots (these die first — replace every 5–7 years).
- • Crazed, chalky single-ply membrane.
- • Dried, cracked sealant at flashings and pitch pockets.
- • Standing water on flat roofs 48+ hours after rain.
- • Stained, eroded stucco below scuppers and canales.
- • Mineral deposits (white rings) where water has stood and evaporated repeatedly.
- • Soft, spongy substrate underfoot (saturated insulation).
- • Mosquito breeding in ponded areas — confirms long-standing water.
- • Cracked tile from water freezing inside porous concrete.
- • Lifted shingles where ice dams formed at eaves.
- • Split sealant lines at flashings.
- • Ice damage at swamp cooler bases and uninsulated lines.
- • Cracked, hardened, or shrunk rubber pipe boots (often the FIRST leak in a 10-year-old roof).
- • Sealant pulled away from flashing edges (you can see the metal underneath).
- • Dried mastic at scuppers, drains, and pitch pockets.
- • Chewed soffit vents (squirrels, packrats).
- • Bird nests in gutters, valleys, or open eave gaps.
- • Bat guano staining at gable vents.
- • Wasps/hornets in attic vents — often the first sign of an entry hole.
- • Roof rats running drip edge at dusk.
- • Cracked tile in walking paths to HVAC equipment.
- • Punctures in single-ply membrane (especially around HVAC units).
- • Crushed gravel or worn cap sheet in repeated foot paths.
- • Bent metal panels where someone stepped wrong.
Document like a pro (it pays off).
Whether you file a claim or just want a record, good photos save thousands. Here's how to shoot them.
One wide shot showing location, one zoomed-in close-up of the damage. Always both.
Tape measure, quarter, chalk circle — gives insurers scale.
Turn on date-stamp in your phone camera, or use a notes app to log the date with each photo.
North, south, east, west — even sides that look fine. Adjusters compare.
Dented gutters, screens, AC fins, fence caps — proves hail size and storm date.
Slow pan of ceiling stains, attic, around skylights and chimneys. 30 seconds is plenty.
When to call a professional.
Some things you can monitor. Some things can't wait until next paycheck.
- • Light granule loss on shingles <10 years old
- • Cosmetic algae streaks
- • Minor oil canning on metal
- • Dirt pickup on silicone coating
- • Cracked pipe boots
- • Lifted shingles or flashing
- • Exposed nails on ridge
- • Granules filling gutters
- • Faded, brittle membrane
- • Active interior leak or drip
- • Visible sagging decking
- • Daylight through attic deck
- • Soft/spongy spots on flat roof
- • Storm damage with claim deadline
Send us photos. We'll diagnose it for you — free.
Our AI photo tool reads your pictures and flags issues in 30 seconds. A human follows up if anything serious shows up.
Not sure what you're looking at?
Book a free 27-point inspection. Drone, infrared, written report — no high-pressure pitch.