When to schedule a roof inspection
- After a major storm: wind, hail or a fallen limb can damage shingles and flashing without causing an immediate leak. See storm damage roof repair.
- Buying or selling a home: a general home inspector looks at the roof, but often only from the ground or a ladder. A roofer's inspection gives an estimate of remaining life and repair costs you can use in negotiations.
- Before refinancing or insuring an older home
- Once a year as part of roof maintenance, ideally in fall before leaves and ice arrive
- When you see warning signs: ceiling stains, granules in gutters, curling shingles, or ice dams in winter
What our inspection covers
| Area | What we check |
|---|---|
| Roof covering | Shingle condition, granule loss, cracking, lifted tabs, nail pops; membrane seams, blisters and ponding on flat roofs |
| Flashing | Chimney, step, sidewall, valley and skylight flashing; sealant condition |
| Penetrations | Pipe boots, exhaust vents, satellite mounts, solar attachments |
| Roof edge and drainage | Drip edge, fascia, soffit, gutters and downspouts |
| Attic | Daylight, moisture staining, mold, insulation condition, intake and exhaust ventilation |
| Trees | Overhanging limbs and branches rubbing the roof |
- Water gets in at a weak point, here failed flashing at the base of a chimney. Pipe boots, valleys and skylights are other common entry points.
- It runs downhill along the underside of the roof deck and rafters before it drips.
- It soaks the insulation and can rot the deck and framing long before you see anything.
- The stain shows up on the ceiling, often several feet from the real source. That is why we trace leaks from the roof and attic, not from the stain.
Your written report
You receive a written report with dated photos, organized into three groups: needs attention now (active leaks or imminent failures), plan for (items to budget for in the next few years), and monitor. Where repairs are needed, the report includes a separate itemized estimate. You are under no obligation to use us for the work.
If we recommend roof repair over replacement, we say so. An inspection is only useful if it is honest about remaining life.
Inspections after Montgomery County storms
Severe weather in this area tends to damage roofs in two ways: wind, and trees falling on them. In the June 2024 tornadoes, National Weather Service surveyors documented trees and limbs damaging homes in Gaithersburg, including seven houses near City Hall that were condemned. Deep snow is the other risk. The January 2016 blizzard left 38.5 inches near Potomac, the highest total recorded in Maryland for that storm, and long snow cover like that leads to ice dams. After events like these, an inspection can document damage while it is fresh. That record helps with insurance claims and catches problems before they turn into leaks.
Inspections for home sales, insurance and HOA records
In a market where Bethesda, North Bethesda and Chevy Chase homes change hands quickly, the roof is one of the most negotiated line items in a contract. A general home inspector typically evaluates a roof from the ground, a ladder or a drone and writes a cautious note about remaining life. A roofer on the roof can tell you something more useful: which slopes are near the end, whether the flashing has been patched repeatedly, whether the decking is sound, and what a realistic repair scope and cost looks like. Sellers use that to get ahead of the inspection with documented roof repairs instead of conceding a replacement-sized credit; buyers use it to decide what they are actually taking on.
Insurance is the second common reason people call. Carriers increasingly ask about roof age and condition at renewal, and after a damaging wind season they ask harder. A dated report with slope-by-slope photographs establishes the condition of your roof before the next storm, which is exactly the evidence that is impossible to produce afterward. If you later file a claim, that baseline is what separates genuine wind and impact damage from the normal wear an adjuster will decline, and it pairs directly with storm damage roof repair documentation.
Boards and committees need the same paperwork for different reasons. Townhouse and condominium associations across North Bethesda plan replacements building by building and need condition reports to support reserve budgets and phasing. Homeowners in the Chevy Chase Village Historic District and in HOA subdivisions need documentation of condition and materials to support an architectural or historic work permit application. We write reports to be read by someone who is not a roofer, which is what makes them usable for budgeting a future roof replacement or for setting up a roof maintenance schedule.
Roof Inspection across Bethesda, North Bethesda and Chevy Chase
We provide roof inspection throughout southern Montgomery County, including Bethesda, MD (20814, 20816, 20817) , North Bethesda, MD (20852) , and Chevy Chase, MD (20815) . Each area page covers the housing types, permit considerations and storm history particular to that community.
Recent Montgomery County storms
These recorded events show the kinds of weather local roofs need to withstand. See the full Montgomery County storm history.
June 5, 2024 Montgomery County Tornadoes
The National Weather Service confirmed two EF-1 tornadoes in Montgomery County: one from Poolesville to Seneca Creek State Park, and one from Gaithersburg to Ashton.
Roof takeaway: Most of the damage came from trees and large limbs falling onto homes. A healthy roof does little against that, which is why a post-storm inspection matters even when shingles look intact from the street.
Source: National Weather Service, Baltimore/Washington (Sterling, VA)
January 22–23, 2016 Blizzard
The National Weather Service recorded 38.5 inches of snow near Potomac, the highest total reported in Maryland, and 35.2 inches near Gaithersburg.
Roof takeaway: Snow loads that deep stress older framing and low-slope roofs. Melt and refreeze cycles afterward build ice dams at the eaves, pushing water under shingles and into ceilings.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a roof inspection take?
About an hour for most single-family homes, longer for large homes, steep or slate roofs, or buildings with several roof sections.
Do you walk on the roof?
When it is safe to. Wet, icy, very steep or fragile roofs, such as slate or tile, may be inspected from a ladder, with binoculars, or from the attic, and the report notes how each area was inspected.
Can your inspection report be used for an insurance claim?
Yes. The photos and notes document condition and damage. Note that a home improvement license does not authorize a contractor to act as a public adjuster, so you or a licensed public adjuster handle the claim with your insurer.
Is a roof inspection the same as a home inspection?
No. A home inspection covers the whole house and usually includes only a limited roof review. A roof inspection goes into detail on the roof system, flashing and attic, and estimates remaining life and repair costs.