Signs your roof needs an inspection

Most roofs give warning signs well before they fail: stains on a ceiling, granules in the gutters, ponding on a flat roof, frost in the attic. If you see any of the signs below, or the roof has just been through hail, heavy snow or high wind, have it inspected. Finding a problem early usually means a repair rather than a replacement, and less damage underneath.

Signs inside the building

• Ceiling or wall stains: brown rings, peeling paint or bubbling drywall, especially near exterior walls, chimneys or skylights.
• Drips during rain or thaw: even occasional drips mean water is getting past the roof covering.
• Stained or sagging ceiling tiles: in commercial buildings, often the first visible sign of a flat roof leak.
• Musty smells: in top-floor rooms or near the attic hatch.
• Higher heating costs or cold top floors: can point to wet or missing insulation.

Water travels along decking, framing and insulation before it shows. A stain in one place can come from a leak several metres away, which is why tracing it is worth doing properly.

Signs in the attic

If you have safe access to the attic, look with a flashlight on a cold day and after rain:

• Dark staining or mould on the underside of the roof deck
• Frost or ice on nails and decking in winter
• Daylight through the deck, other than at designed vents
• Wet, compressed or discoloured insulation
• Bathroom or kitchen fans that end in the attic instead of outside

Frost and mould in the attic are often caused by warm, moist air leaking up from the house, not by the roof itself. Our guide to attic ventilation and insulation explains how to tell.

Signs you can see from the ground

Sloped roofs

• Missing, lifted, curled or cracked shingles
• Large amounts of granules in gutters or at downspout outlets
• Dark patches or bare spots on asphalt shingles
• Bent, rusted or lifted flashing at chimneys, walls and valleys
• A sagging ridge line or roof plane
• Icicles and ice build-up along the eaves in winter

Flat roofs

• Water that stays on the roof for days after rain
• Blisters, ridges, splits or open seams in the membrane
• Cracked or separated flashing at parapets and curbs
• Debris around drains and scuppers
• Damage around rooftop units from service traffic

Look from the ground or a window. Don't climb onto a roof to check, especially in wet or winter conditions.

Events that call for an inspection

Even without visible signs, book an inspection after:

• Hail: hail can bruise shingles and puncture membranes in ways that only show later. Alberta in particular sees frequent hail.
• A heavy snow winter: snow load, drifting and ice dams can damage roofs and structure. See snow loads on roofs.
• High winds: lifted shingles and loose flashing let water in at the next storm.
• Rooftop work: new equipment, solar panels or antennas mean new penetrations and foot traffic.
• Buying or selling: roof condition is one of the largest cost items in any building.
• Before a warranty expires: find defects while they can still be claimed.

Age is a sign too

Every roof covering has a typical service life, which depends on the material, the quality of installation, exposure and maintenance. As a roof approaches the later part of its life, regular inspections help you plan replacement rather than react to a failure. If you don't know how old your roof is, that alone is a reason to have it looked at.

What to do in the meantime

• Photograph stains and leaks with dates, to help trace the source
• Protect contents and electrical equipment from drips
• Keep gutters, downspouts and accessible drains clear
• Note when leaks happen: during rain, during thaw, or in wind-driven rain

How ehZee can help

Our roof inspections look at the roof surface, its details and drainage, and the attic or ceiling space below, then rank what we find by urgency. Call 1-833-888-0091 or email contact@ehzee.ca.

Common questions