What should an Austin roof inspection check?

Why does an inspection start in the attic?

The attic shows the leaks, the ventilation and the condition of the decking before the roof surface is walked. Water that has got past the covering shows there first, and so does a vent that is blocked.

Look for daylight through the decking, stains on the underside of the boards, dark rafters and wet insulation. Each sign tells the technician where water has been and where it may be coming in. A stain near the edge points to the eave, and a stain near the ridge points to the top of the roof.

The attic is also where the ventilation is judged. Intake at the eaves and exhaust at the ridge should work together. A blocked vent or an attic full of insulation that covers the soffits means the attic runs hot, and that shortens the life of the covering.

Note the attic's access, its size and whether the floor is boarded, before going up. A part of the attic that cannot be reached safely is recorded as not checked, and the report says what that means for the findings.

How should the decking be checked?

The decking is checked from the attic for softness, staining and any board that has lifted. Where the roof is walked, the decking is pressed at the spots where the shingles move or the nails are loose.

Soft or swollen boards, boards that have delaminated at the edges and nails that have pulled through the sheathing are the signs of a failing deck. Each is noted with its location, and the decking condition is one of the main factors in a repair or replacement decision.

A moisture reading can show whether a board is still wet. A dry board that is also soft is a sign of past damage, and a board that is wet and soft is a sign of a current leak that must be traced.

Compare the decking condition with the last record, where one exists. A board that was sound before and is now soft points to a new leak, while a board that was already soft points to an older one, and the difference matters for the repair plan.

What should be checked on the shingles or covering?

The shingles or covering are checked slope by slope for hail hits, granule loss, lifted tabs, cracked or curled shingles and failed sealant. The count is recorded in test squares, and the condition of each slope is noted.

Hail hits are counted in a test square on each slope, and the count is recorded with its location. Granule loss is noted on the windward slopes, and lifted tabs are noted at the edges. A shingle that bends without cracking is marked as re-sealable, and a brittle one is marked for replacement.

The ridge caps are checked for bending, cracking and loose nails. A ridge cap that has moved opens the peak of the roof to water, so it is recorded with a photograph and its position.

Record the number of layers of covering, if the technician can tell, and the presence of any underlayment that is visible at the eaves. A roof with more than one layer is a different job from a single layer, and the report should say which applies.

Which flashing and joints should be checked?

Every flashing joint is checked: chimneys, walls, valleys, pipe boots, vents and skylights. Each is examined for lifted metal, cracked sealant, corrosion and gaps between the flashing and the masonry or siding.

Chimneys and walls are the most common leak points. Counter flashing and step flashing are checked, along with the mortar joints at a chimney. Valleys are checked for lifting and for debris that holds water.

Pipe boots and plumbing vents are checked for cracked or missing seals. These are small, low-cost repairs when they are found early, and a missed boot can leak for a long time before anyone notices.

Check the sealant at each flashing joint by eye and by touch where it is safe. Sealant that has cracked or pulled away from the metal is marked for re-sealing, and sealant that is sound is noted as such, so the record shows what was checked.

What should the gutters and downspouts show?

Gutters and downspouts show the storm's force on the metal, and they show whether water is being carried away from the foundation. Dents, sags, blocked outlets and split downspouts are all recorded.

Look along each gutter run for round dents that match hail marks on the vents. A run that sags between brackets or has lost its fall will hold water and overflow at the front. The outlets should carry the water away from the wall.

Granules in the gutters are a sign of hail, and their pattern shows which slopes were struck. A gutter that is clear of debris makes a better record, because the dents are visible.

Check the gutter hangers and brackets for loosening, and the fascia behind them for softness. A bracket that has been driven into rotten fascia will not hold, and that finding changes how the gutter run is repaired.

How should the storm record be checked?

The storm record for the address is checked against the inspection. The warning that covered the address is named in the report, and the report says whether the marks found agree with the storm.

The National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office warned of 3-inch hail and 60 mph gusts for southwestern Williamson and central Travis counties on 28 May 2025, and it named Anderson Mill and Jollyville. A warning is a radar-indicated maximum, and the record for each address must be read on its own.

The report records the date and the warning. Where the marks match the storm, it says so, and where they do not, it says so as well. That honesty is what makes the report useful to the homeowner and to an insurer.

Look at the attic floor for stains that match the ceiling below. A stain in the attic that lines up with a ceiling stain is a sign of a leak with a clear path, and the report should trace that path from the attic to the roof.

What should be checked inside the house?

The ceilings below the roof are checked for staining, sagging and damp, and the rooms are photographed. The interior record shows how far any leak has travelled, and it is part of the roof record.

Look at the ceilings in rooms under the roof, along the walls and near any chimney or vent. A stain that is dry and old is recorded as old, and a stain that is still damp is traced back to the roof.

The interior check also looks for light fittings and outlets near any wet area, because water near electricity is a hazard. A wet area near a fitting is reported at once, and the homeowner is told to turn off the circuit at the panel.

Mark on the ceiling plan any stain that is new since the last record. A plan with each stain's location and date helps the next technician see whether the leak has moved or spread.

Note the time of day and the weather when the inspection took place. A reading taken after a dry week can look different from one taken after heavy rain, and the record should make clear which conditions applied.

How should the report be read and kept?

The report should be read against the checklist, dated and kept with the photographs and the storm record. A report that is kept this way can be compared with the next one, and it is the record that an insurer or a buyer will ask for.

Read the report slope by slope and item by item. Each finding should have a location, a photograph and a plain description, and any uncertainty should be stated. Anything the report says it did not check should be noted, so the homeowner knows what is not covered by the visit.

Keep the report with the house file, and add the repair record once the work is done. The next inspection can then compare the roof with the record and show what has changed.

Keep the checklist itself with the report. A signed or initialled checklist shows which items were checked and which were not, and it is a simple way to make the record easy to read later.