What to Expect During a Professional Roof Inspection

A proper roof inspection takes 30 to 60 minutes for most Salt Lake City homes, and it should leave you with more than a verbal "looks fine." A thorough inspector checks the roof surface, the flashing, the attic, and the gutters, then documents what they find with photos — not just an opinion. If you've never had one done, or you're not sure what separates a real inspection from a five-minute drive-by, here's what the process actually involves.

Before Anyone Gets on the Roof

A good inspection starts on the ground. We walk the perimeter of the home first, checking gutters and downspouts for granules or debris, looking at fascia and soffits for water staining, and scanning the roofline from multiple angles for anything obviously out of place — missing shingles, sagging sections, or damaged flashing around the chimney. This ground-level pass also tells us where to focus once we're actually up there, and it's the point where we ask about any leaks, stains, or noises you've noticed inside the house.

On the Roof: What Actually Gets Checked

• Shingle or Material Condition: Curling, cracking, granule loss, or impact marks from hail — each tells a different story about the roof's remaining life.
• Flashing: Around chimneys, skylights, and vent pipes. Flashing failure is one of the most common — and most preventable — sources of leaks we find.
• Ventilation: Intake and exhaust vents need to be clear and functioning. Poor attic ventilation shortens shingle life and contributes to winter ice dams.
• Valleys and Penetrations: Anywhere two roof planes meet, or anything punches through the roof deck, is a higher-risk area that gets extra attention.
• Gutters and Drainage: Clogged or damaged gutters send water where it shouldn't go, including back under the roof edge.

Inside the Attic

If you have attic access, we go up there too. From inside, we check for daylight coming through the roof deck, water staining on the underside of the sheathing, insulation that's been compressed or displaced by moisture, and whether the ventilation is actually moving air the way it's supposed to. Attic conditions often tell us more about a roof's real health than what's visible from outside — a roof can look fine on the surface while trapped moisture is quietly rotting the decking underneath.

What a Legitimate Inspection Report Looks Like

You should walk away with more than a verbal summary. A real inspection report includes photos of anything noteworthy, a plain-language explanation of what each finding means, and a clear distinction between "needs attention now," "worth watching," and "no issue found." The National Roofing Contractors Association publishes general guidance on what a thorough roof inspection should cover — a useful reference if you want to compare against what a contractor actually delivers. If a company can't or won't show you photo evidence for a finding, that's worth asking about directly.

How to Vet Who's Doing the Inspection

Not every inspection is created equal, and Utah sees no shortage of door-to-door crews offering a "free" look at your roof after every hailstorm. Before letting anyone up, confirm they're licensed through Utah's DOPL license lookup tool — look for General Building B100, Roofing S230, or Sheet Metal S280 — and check their standing with the Better Business Bureau. A legitimate local contractor has no reason to rush you into signing anything on the spot.

How Often You Should Have One Done

Spring is the ideal window for a routine inspection, since it catches whatever winter's freeze-thaw cycles did before summer UV adds to the wear. Beyond the yearly check, schedule one any time after a significant hailstorm or windstorm, before listing a home for sale, or if you're seeing warning signs like curling shingles, granule buildup in the gutters, or daylight through the roof boards. Our Utah roof maintenance guide breaks down what to watch for season by season between inspections.

Summit Roofing offers free roof inspections for homeowners across Salt Lake City, Murray, Draper, Sandy, South Jordan, and the surrounding Wasatch Front — complete with photo documentation and a straightforward explanation of what we find, whether that's nothing at all or a repair worth planning for. Schedule yours through our free roof inspection page, or reach out through contact us with any questions first.