Walk around your home with binoculars and inspect your roof for…
01 Shingle condition: Broken or loose shingles at the ridge line, in valleys, plumbing vents, or near chimneys. This can be caused by extreme wind conditions and/ or snow removal. Damaged shingles are an even greater concern when it comes to low slope roofs where water run-off is slower. Also, they are dangerous at the peaks of the roof where shingles are particularly vulnerable to the effects high winds.
02 Granules: Dark patches on asphalt shingles
and/ or large amounts of granules in the rain gutters. This could mean that the granular coating of your roof is wearing away and needs to be replaced. If you see dark patches, be sure to check the interior for dark or discolored drywall or other evidence of a leak.
03 Sagging: Either on the ridges or in the center of the roof planes, may indicate that your roof structure is rotting. Immediate attention is required to prevent structural failure.
04 Buckling: This is a visible
distortion of waviness in the horizontal lines of shingles, and usually runs in a straight line up the roof slope. Shingle tabs become exposed to wind and can be torn off. Can be warping in the roof deck caused by poor attic ventilation, as the shingles are cooked from underneath. Felt paper that is humid or hot can bubble in many cases. The use of thinner-than-recommended decking can add to the problem.
05 Gutters: Overflowing gutters cause water damage the eaves and fascia area of your roof. Even if the fascia and soffit are aluminum, the weight can damage the fascia, and the water gets behind the aluminum cladding easily.
06 Curling: Shingles that are bent up in the middle or turned up at the corners. During the roof’s natural aging process, the shingle tab’s bottom edge may begin to curl under. The resulting bulge is susceptible to substantial damage by wind action, hail and ice.
07 Nails: A loose nail means an open hole, which can cause leaks and subsequent water damage to your roof as the water seeps around the head of the exposed nail.
08 Clawing: This is the curling under of the shingle tab’s bottom edge and is part of the normal aging process of shingles. The bulge created is susceptible to extensive damage by strong wind, hail and ice.
09 Flashings: Many weather related problems tend to occur at the flashings around vents, soil stacks, chimneys, and vertical wall joints. Consider the following questions when it comes to your roof’s flashings: Is the flashing cracked? Is the caulking around the flashing dried out? Are the shingles that lie over the flashing in good shape? Pieces of metal or roll roofing wrapped around vent pipes, chimneys and adjoining walls to prevent water seepage and leakage.
10 Blistering and Rotting: Bubbles ranging from pea size up to a quarter size is caused by moisture in the shingle. They appear on the surface of asphalt roofing. This is more prevalent in organic (felt) shingles.
11 Ice Dams: Occur when snow melts near the ridgelines of warm roofs (roofs without adequate ventilation), as 
the water runs down the roof to the overhang, it cools and freezes. If the snow continues this melt and freeze process, an ice dam can form that can seep under the shingles, through the decking and into the house. This can cause serious roof leaks, even in freezing temperatures.
12 Ruptured Valleys: Metal valleys can rupture due to ice build up, and it can corrode with age as well. Valleys should be kept in good shape, with the ice and water membrane underneath in good condition.
In your attic, take a flashlight and look for…
01 Stains or Wet Spots: Indicates water leaks at the underside of the roof deck and rafters.
02 Condensation, Wood Rot, Mold, Mildew and Rusting Metal: Occur if inadequate ventilation exists. These problems can affect the reliability of the roof as well as the integrity of the house, and can even cause health problems for family members in the home. Insufficient venting voids your roof warranty.
03 Blocked Soffits: Homes that have minimal overhangs often suffer from insufficient intake because brick walls are pocketed in between rafter spaces. Example: When installing insulation or aluminum vented soffits, holes need to be cut through the underlying original wood soffit beforehand.
04 Bathroom Exhaust Vents: These vents need to exhaust through a wall or roof instead of into the attic.
05 Plug Air Leaks: Areas prone to air leaks are around pipes protruding into the attic, and where walls adjoin to roof rafters.
Inside your home…
Most of the time the first sign of roof failure is not on the roof itself but inside your home! The symptoms below may be caused by condensation in the attic or water seeping underneath the shingle covering. They also may result from ice buildup in the eaves. These symptoms appear insignificant but they are warning signs of future roofing problems. Look for the following:
• Ceiling stains
• Flaking paint and plaster
• Peeling wallpaper
• Discoloration where the wall and ceiling join
