Fall Roof Inspection Checklist: What to Check Before Winter

Most winter roof leaks start as something small that was visible in October: a cracked rubber collar around a vent pipe, a gutter packed with leaves, a strip of lifted flashing beside the chimney. By January the same flaw has been soaked, frozen, and thawed many times over, and it is showing up as a stain on a bedroom ceiling.

A fall inspection catches those problems while the weather still allows a proper repair. This checklist follows the way the job gets done, from the ground, at the gutters, and in the attic, and it is direct about which checks belong to a trained inspector.

01

When Should You Do a Fall Roof Inspection?

In South Jersey, the practical window runs from late September to mid-November, with the gutter check repeated once the leaves are down. The Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist at Rutgers notes that snow can fall in the state’s southern counties from about November 15, and that nor’easters are most frequent from October through April.

The same Rutgers overview says that rarely does a winter go by without at least one significant coastal storm, and some years see five to 10. A loose tab that would survive a calm December may not survive a nor’easter. Repairs also go better in warm weather: Owens Corning says its shingle sealant needs several days of direct warm sunlight to bond.

For the year-round schedule, see how often you should inspect your roof.

02

Is It Safe to Inspect Your Own Roof?

From the ground and from the attic, yes. On the roof itself, no. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 273,000 people were treated in emergency departments in 2024 for injuries involving ladders and stools. Nearly everything on this checklist can be seen with binoculars or a phone camera at full zoom.

Walking on a roof can also cause the damage you are looking for. Foot traffic scuffs granules off aging shingles, and Owens Corning’s standard shingle warranty excludes damage from foot traffic.

If you clean your own gutters, set the ladder on firm, level ground and have someone at the base. If the job means stepping onto the roof, stop and call a professional.

03

What Should You Check From the Ground?

Walk the full perimeter of the house and look at each roof plane separately. Check for missing, cracked, or curling shingles, dark patches, any dip in the roofline, the flashing at chimneys and walls, the rubber collars around vent pipes, and tree limbs over the roof. Photograph anything that looks different from the surrounding roof.

1. Missing, cracked, or curling shingles

Look for gaps and tabs lifted at the corners. A curled edge no longer lies flat, which gives wind-driven rain and ice a way in. One damaged shingle is a routine repair. Damage scattered across several planes means the roof should be evaluated as a whole.

2. Dark patches or uneven color

Patchy dark areas on asphalt shingles usually mean the protective granules have worn away. Dark streaks running down the slope are more often algae, which is mostly cosmetic but holds moisture against the surface.

3. Sagging along the ridge or between rafters

The roofline should look straight against the sky. A dip or wave suggests weakened decking or framing, often from long-term moisture. This finding should not wait.

4. Flashing at chimneys, skylights, and walls

Flashing seals the joints where the roof meets something else, and the building code requires it at wall intersections, changes in slope, and roof openings. Look for rust, lifted edges, gaps, and smears of roofing cement used as a patch, which is a stopgap. In Emmons’ experience, these joints, not the open field of shingles, are where most of the leaks we trace begin.

5. Pipe boots and roof vents

Each plumbing vent is sealed with a collar, usually rubber, called a boot. A cracked boot is an inexpensive part and a common cause of a ceiling leak with no obvious source. Owens Corning’s shingle warranty does not cover pipe boots, so this one is yours to watch.

6. Overhanging tree limbs

Trim limbs over the roof before ice and wet snow weigh them down. Overhanging trees also fill gutters and keep the roof damp. Owens Corning’s warranty excludes damage from falling branches and tree debris, so prevention is the homeowner’s job.

04

How Do You Check Gutters and Downspouts Before Winter?

Clear the gutters once when leaves start to fall and again after the nearby trees are bare, then run a hose into each run and watch it drain. Water should move steadily to the downspout without pooling. While you are there, look for shingle granules, sagging sections, loose hangers, and downspouts that empty against the foundation.

7. Granules in the gutters

Granules look like coarse black or gray sand. A little is normal, especially on a new roof. A heavy layer on an older roof is a clear sign the shingles are wearing out.

8. Clogs, standing water, and pitch

A gutter holding water in November will hold ice in January, and that weight pulls fasteners out of the fascia. Overflow also rots the fascia and soffit and opens a path for animals into the attic.

9. Downspout discharge

Make sure extensions are attached and carry water away from the house, not onto a walkway where it will freeze. Where expansive or collapsible soils are present, the building code requires roof drainage to discharge at least 5 feet from the foundation, a reasonable target for any home. Our gutter cleaning and maintenance tips go into more detail.

05

What Should You Look for in the Attic?

Go up on a dry, bright day with a flashlight. Look for daylight through the roof boards, water stains or dark streaks on the wood, damp or matted insulation, and frost or condensation on the underside of the roof deck. It is the most informative part of a homeowner inspection.

10. Daylight through the roof deck

Turn off the flashlight and let your eyes adjust. A pinpoint of daylight is an opening water can use. Mark it with tape or a photo for your inspector.

11. Stains, dark streaks, or damp insulation

Check the rafters and decking around chimneys, vent pipes, and valleys. Dark rings mean water has been there. Insulation should feel dry and fluffy. Wet or matted insulation works poorly and points to a leak or moisture problem.

12. Frost or condensation on the deck

On the first cold morning, look again. Frost or beads of moisture on the deck mean humid indoor air is reaching a cold surface. Over a winter this can rot decking from the inside, and it is often mistaken for a leak because it drips.

13. Blocked soffit vents and misrouted exhaust fans

The building code requires at least 1 inch of space between insulation and roof sheathing at eave vents, a gap often lost during an insulation upgrade. Also confirm bathroom and kitchen fans are ducted outdoors. The code bars discharging exhaust air into an attic, soffit, or ridge vent.

06

How Do You Know If Your Attic Ventilation Is Adequate?

Start with the code minimum. The International Residential Code, as adopted in New Jersey, requires 1 square foot of net free vent area for every 150 square feet of vented attic space. That drops to 1 per 300 when 40 to 50 percent of the venting sits high, near the ridge, with the rest low at the eaves.

Net free area is smaller than a vent’s outside dimensions, so counting vents by eye is not enough.

Ventilation is only part of the ice dam story. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Solution Center explains that ice dams form when heat escaping the living space warms the roof deck and melts snow, which refreezes at the cold eave. It calls sealing air leaks into the attic the most important step. Our guide to preventing ice dams and water damage covers the winter side, and Emmons can evaluate your attic ventilation on site.

Also worth knowing: New Jersey’s code requires an ice barrier at the eaves only where the average January temperature is 25 degrees or colder, so ask your inspector whether your roof has one.

07

Which Roof Checks Need a Professional?

Four things cannot be judged from the ground: hairline cracks in sealant around penetrations, nails backing out of the decking, wear in the valleys, and soft spots in the roof deck. Hail bruising is a fifth. It can compress a shingle without breaking the surface, and it often does not show from the ground.

Raised nail heads lift the shingle above them and become leak points. Valleys collect runoff from two roof planes and wear accordingly. Deck soundness can only be judged by someone who can safely feel for give underfoot.

Training matters. Haag’s residential roof inspector certification, for example, requires at least 100 residential roof inspections before an applicant can take the course, which focuses on telling hail and wind damage from ordinary wear. If a strong storm passed through this year, read our guide to identifying wind damage on your roof and have the roof looked at up close.

08

Can Skipping Maintenance Affect Your Roof Warranty?

Yes. Owens Corning’s standard shingle warranty covers manufacturing defects, but it excludes damage caused by inadequate ventilation, poorly designed or installed gutters, falling branches, and tree debris. It also does not cover pipe boots, flashing, or other parts it did not make. Those are exactly the items a fall inspection checks.

Who installed the roof matters for the enhanced warranties. The standard warranty requires installation that follows Owens Corning’s instructions and local code, not a certified contractor. The Platinum Protection warranty does require one: the entire roofing system must be installed by an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, and its workmanship coverage is valid only under that condition.

09

Which Findings Mean You Should Call Before Winter?

Call before winter if you find moisture or staining in the attic, a sag in the roofline, lifted or rusted flashing, heavy granule loss, or damage on more than one roof plane. One or two damaged shingles can usually be scheduled. If you do not know the roof’s age or history, a baseline professional inspection this fall is worthwhile.

If a row matches, the next step is a professional roof inspection. If it turns up enough wear to raise the bigger question, our guide on choosing between roof repair and replacement walks through the decision.

How Emmons Handles a Fall Roof Inspection

Frequently Asked Questions