Roof maintenance and seasonal checklist

Most of roof maintenance is noticing things. You don't need a ladder for it, and you shouldn't use one in winter. The goal is to catch a small problem, like a cracked pipe boot or a clogged gutter, before it becomes a ceiling stain.

The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends inspecting at least twice a year, spring and fall, and after severe weather. Spring catches winter damage before hail season; fall gets the roof ready for snow.

Spring checklist

• Walk around the house and look at every slope with binoculars. Look for missing, lifted, curled or cracked shingles.
• Check gutters and downspouts for granules, debris and dents. Clean them.
• Look at the eaves for stains or peeling paint on the fascia and soffit, which can mean ice-dam water got behind the drip edge.
• Check the attic on a sunny day: look for daylight through the decking, damp insulation or dark staining on the wood.
• Note anything that changed since last fall, with photos and dates, in a roof file.

Fall checklist

• Clear leaves and pine needles from gutters, valleys and behind chimneys, where they hold moisture.
• Have overhanging branches trimmed back from the roof. They scrape shingles in wind and drop debris.
• Confirm attic vents aren't blocked by insulation or stored items.
• Look at pipe boots, chimney flashing and skylight edges from the ground for cracks or gaps.
• Buy a roof rake if you get heavy snow, so you can clear the lower few feet of roof from the ground.

After a storm: the walk-around

Do this within a day or two of hail or high wind, once it's safe. It takes ten minutes and gives you dated evidence if you need it.

1. Stay on the ground. Wet or hail-covered roofs are slick, and walking on damaged shingles can make it worse.
2. Look for collateral damage first. Dents in gutters, downspouts, metal vents, the AC unit's fins, mailboxes and window screens are easy to see and show that hail hit the property.
3. Look at the roof from every side with binoculars. Hail usually hits the slopes facing the storm hardest.
4. Check the ground and gutters for piles of granules or bits of shingle.
5. Take photos of anything you find, with a coin or ruler for scale. Your phone records the date.
6. Prevent further damage. If water is getting in, the Colorado Division of Insurance says to take reasonable steps like tarping, and to keep receipts.
7. Decide on an inspection. If you found dents or missing pieces, get a roofer to look, and contact your insurer promptly. Your Roof Report lists past storms near you.

Winter: snow and ice dams

Ice dams form when heat leaking into the attic melts snow on the upper roof and the water refreezes at the cold eaves. Water then backs up under the shingles. IBHS says the lasting fix is in the attic: insulation, air sealing and ventilation that keep the roof deck cold.

• Rake the lower few feet of snow off from the ground, ideally with a wheeled roof rake. Stay well away from power lines.
• Don't chip ice off with tools. It damages shingles.
• Heat cables don't remove dams, but they can keep a drainage path open.
• Never climb onto a snowy or icy roof.

Simple fixes you can usually handle

From the ground or a ladder at the eave, with someone holding it:

• Gutters: cleaning, re-sealing leaking seams, and re-attaching a sagging section.
• Branches: keeping limbs trimmed back, or hiring an arborist for big ones.
• Attic vents: moving insulation or boxes that block soffit vents.
• Moss and streaks: these are mostly cosmetic. Don't pressure-wash shingles; it strips granules.

Leave these to a roofer

• Anything that means walking on the roof, especially steep or two-story roofs.
• Replacing shingles, flashing or pipe boots. Done wrong, they leak worse than before.
• Adding a satellite dish, solar panels or a skylight. NRCA advises consulting a roofer first, because poor flashing can damage the roof or void its warranty.
• Any repair after a hail claim has been filed. Let the adjuster see the damage first.

Keep a roof file

NRCA recommends keeping a record of the roof's installation, inspections and repairs. Put these in one folder or note on your phone:

• The install date, contractor, material, color and product line
• Warranty documents and registration confirmation
• Permit number and final inspection
• Photos from each spring and fall check, and after storms
• Insurance claims, estimates and payments

It helps with claims, with selling the house, and with the next roofer who works on it.

Common questions

How often should I have my roof inspected?

The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends inspecting at least twice a year, in spring and fall, and after severe weather. You can do the ground-level checks yourself; a roofer should do anything that requires getting on the roof.

Should I walk on my roof to check it?

No. Colorado's #NoRoofScams guidance says to let only your adjuster and the roofer you've chosen onto the roof, partly because foot traffic can cause more damage. Binoculars and a phone camera from the ground cover most of what you need.

Do heat cables stop ice dams?

Not really. IBHS says heat cables don't remove ice dams, though they can keep a drainage path open. The fix is keeping house heat out of the attic with insulation, air sealing and ventilation.

Is it safe to pressure-wash my roof?

Not for asphalt shingles. High pressure strips the granules that protect the shingle from the sun. For moss or streaks, ask a roofer about a gentle treatment.