Start on the ground, not on the roof
Most homeowners can decide “watch, repair, or replace” from gutters, binoculars, and the attic. Climbing a steep or wet roof is how inspection day becomes an ER visit. Photograph the same corners every spring so you are comparing change, not memory.
- Heavy grit in downspouts after ordinary rain is wear, not dirt
- A sagging ridge line is a structure problem, not a shingle color problem
- If you already have two layers, plan on tear-off rather than another overlay
One bald patch is not the same as a tired field
A missing tab after a wind event can be a repair. Rows of curling shingles, repeated stains under different rooms, or a roof that has been patched every season is a replacement conversation. Match the decision to the whole field, not the worst photo.
- Ask whether the rest of the slope still has years of life
- South and west slopes often fail first on dark asphalt
- A repair that cannot match faded color will look patched — that is cosmetic, not a reason to reroof by itself
After hail, document first and sign later
Storm week is when door-knockers blur a tarp with a full reroof contract. Photograph elevations from the ground, bag loose shingles, and call the insurer if you intend to file. The claim process itself is a separate guide; this page is the condition call.
- Stay off the roof until a licensed inspector is there
- A tarp is emergency dry-in, not permission to start tear-off
- Local license and workers’ comp beat a same-day “storm crew” deposit
How to date the roof without climbing it
Building-permit portals, a previous owner’s invoice, or a shingle wrapper stapled in the attic beat guessing from the street. If you cannot date it, treat ventilation and leak history as more important than a neighbor’s “it looks fine.”
- Search your city or county permit site for reroof or re-roof
- Ask the inspector to note existing layers — overlays hide age
- A dark, unvented south slope can look a decade older than the north slope
Cosmetic vs structural tells
Algae streaks and a few granule spots are usually appearance. Soft decking, a wavy ridge, and repeated interior stains under different rooms are replacement tells. Do not let a salesperson treat every black streak as a failed roof.
- Zinc or copper strips treat algae; they do not add years to bald shingles
- A spongy feel on a ladder (from a pro) is deck trouble
- Ice-dam stains at eaves are often ventilation and insulation, not just “old shingles”