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Free Printable Checklist

Houston Roof Inspection Checklist: What to Check Every Season

Houston roofs take a beating — hurricane-season wind, spring hail, brutal summer heat, and 50 inches of rain a year. Fifteen minutes with this checklist, done entirely from the ground and the attic, catches most problems while they're still cheap repairs instead of ceiling damage. Print it, stick it on the fridge, and run through it each season.

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First, the One Rule: Stay Off the Roof

Everything on this checklist is checkable from the ground, a window, or inside your attic. Do not climb onto your roof, and don't lean a ladder against the gutter for a "quick look." Falls from roofs and ladders put more homeowners in the hospital than the leaks they were checking on — and a wet or storm-damaged roof is the most dangerous kind to walk. Binoculars (or your phone camera zoomed in from the yard) will show you everything you need. If something up there needs a closer look, that's exactly what our free inspection is for — we climb, you don't.

The Checklist

Three passes a year: after any serious storm, once in spring before storm season peaks, and once in fall before winter fronts arrive. Check the box as you go.

After Every Storm

Any hail, or wind gusts strong enough to toss patio furniture

  • Walk the yard and street. Look for shingle tabs, ridge-cap pieces, or torn felt on the grass, in flower beds, or at the curb. Shingles on the ground always came from somewhere.
  • Scan every slope from the curb with binoculars. Look for missing shingles (dark rectangular gaps), lifted tabs that didn't lie back down, or creased shingles that flapped in the wind.
  • Check downspout splash areas for granules. Piles of coarse, sand-like granules at the downspout outlets after hail means the storm stripped protective surface off your shingles — classic hail signature.
  • Look at soft metals from the ground. Dents in gutters, downspouts, or the garage door are hail's calling card — if hail dented your gutters, assume it hit the shingles too.
  • Check ceilings and around light fixtures in the days after the storm for new stains or damp spots — water travels, so a stain rarely sits directly under the entry point.
  • Look for tree damage: hanging ("widow-maker") limbs over the roof, or branches that clearly struck the surface.

Every Spring

March–April, before hail and hurricane season peak

  • Shingle condition from the curb: slow scan of each slope for cupping or curling edges (shingles that no longer lie flat), missing tabs, or bald, dark patches where granules have worn away.
  • Flashing at the chimney and valleys, from the ground: the metal should sit tight and straight. Lifted, bent, or visibly rusted flashing — or dark streaks running out of a valley — is where most leaks start.
  • Granules in the gutters: when you (or your gutter cleaner) clear the gutters, note whether granules have collected like coarse sand. Heavy accumulation on an older roof means the shingles are wearing out.
  • Gutter overflow marks: vertical dirt streaks or tiger-striping on the outside of gutters, or eroded mulch trenches below the roofline, mean water is overshooting — clogged or mis-sloped gutters send that water into fascia and soffits.
  • Algae streaks: long black streaks down a slope are algae feeding on the shingle surface — common in Houston humidity. Mostly cosmetic, but worth noting: never pressure-wash them, and heavy growth holds moisture against aging shingles.
  • Tree limb clearance: branches should stay several feet clear of the roof. Limbs that touch or overhang closely scrub granules off in the wind and drop debris that dams up valleys — trim before storm season, not after.
  • The 10-minute attic check (daylight): with the attic light off, look up at the underside of the decking — any pinpoint of daylight through the decking is a hole (except at proper vents). Then look for water staining on the wood.

Every Fall

October–November, before winter fronts and holiday rains

  • Repeat the curb scan for missing, lifted, or cupping shingles — summer heat is what dries out and curls Gulf Coast shingles, so fall is when new curling shows up.
  • Chimney and valley flashing again, from the ground: summer expansion and contraction works sealant loose; look for gaps or lifted edges before the rainy fronts test them.
  • Gutters and downspouts before leaf-fall ends: clear them (from a ladder placed safely, or hire it out) and re-check for overflow staining and sagging sections.
  • The 10-minute attic check (moisture): after a good rain, feel the insulation near chimneys, vents, and valleys — damp or matted insulation means water is getting in, even if no ceiling stain has appeared yet.
  • Rusted nail points in the attic: shine a flashlight across the underside of the decking — rows of rusty nail tips ("shiners") mean attic humidity is condensing on them, a ventilation problem that quietly rots decking from below.
  • Ceiling and closet check inside the house: scan ceilings, closet corners, and around bath fans for new yellow-brown rings or bubbling paint.

Call Now, or Keep Watching?

A ground checklist can't fix anything — its job is to tell you which of these two lists you're on.

Call a Pro Now

  • Shingles or shingle pieces on the ground — the roof has open spots.
  • Daylight through the attic decking anywhere that isn't a vent.
  • Damp insulation, a spreading ceiling stain, or any active drip.
  • Flashing visibly lifted or pulled away at the chimney or a valley.
  • Hail dents in gutters or soft metals after a storm — get it documented for a possible insurance claim before the filing clock runs.
  • A limb through or resting on the roof surface.

Note It & Watch It

  • Light algae streaking on a roof under ~15 years old — cosmetic for now.
  • A few granules in the gutters on a newer roof (new shingles shed extras their first year or two).
  • Minor gutter overflow in one spot — clean first, re-check in the next rain.
  • An old, dry, unchanged ceiling stain — photograph it, date it, compare after the next storm.
  • Slight shingle curling on one or two tabs — photograph and compare each season; spreading curl means the roof is aging out.

"Watch it" items that keep getting worse become "call now" items — and the cheap fix window closes. If you're not sure which list you're on, the answer costs nothing: a free inspection and a straight verdict — repair if it's a repair, replacement only if that's genuinely cheaper for you over the next ten years.

AttarCo Homes — Roofing Specialists • Est. 1985 • (281) 686-9227 • attarcohomes.com — Free inspections across Greater Houston & Galveston. If you checked anything in the "call now" column, call or text (281) 686-9227.

Roof Inspection Questions, Answered Straight

How often should I inspect my roof in Houston?
Three times a year is the Houston rhythm: once in spring before hail-and-storm season peaks, once in fall before the winter fronts, and a quick walk-around after any storm with hail or strong gusts. Each ground check takes about 15 minutes. On top of that, have a professional actually get on the roof every 2–3 years — or any time a storm leaves evidence you can see from the ground.
Is a free roof inspection really free?
Yes — free and no obligation. We inspect, we photograph what we find, we explain it in plain English, and we put any fix in writing with a real number. If the honest answer is "your roof is fine, keep an eye on it," that's the answer you get. That's how a roofing company stays in business in the same city for 40 years.
What does a pro check that I can't from the ground?
The causes behind the symptoms. On the roof we check shingle seal strips and brittleness, hail bruising that hides in the shingle mat, nail pops under tabs, pipe boots and vent gaskets up close, sealant condition on every flashing joint, and — underfoot — soft spots in the decking. Your ground checklist catches problems that already show; the on-roof inspection catches the ones that are about to.
Are drone roof inspections worth it?
Drones are a genuinely useful documentation tool — especially on steep or fragile roofs and for photographing storm damage safely. But a camera can't press on decking to find soft spots or lift a tab to check the seal, so a drone pass supplements a hands-on inspection rather than replacing it. Either way, that's the roofer's equipment and the roofer's job — not a reason for you to buy a drone or, worse, climb up yourself.
I found something on the checklist — do I need a whole new roof?
Usually not. Most checklist findings — a few lifted shingles, a failing pipe boot, a flashing gap — are repairs measured in hundreds of dollars. A replacement only makes sense when the roof is at end of life or the damage is widespread — and if a storm caused it, insurance may carry the cost. The inspection tells you which situation you're in, and we quote a repair when a repair is the right call.

Checked a Box in the "Call Now" Column?

Don't climb up there — we will, for free. Call or text (281) 686-9227, or take two minutes on our quote form, and you'll have a straight answer and a real quote by the end of the next business day, guaranteed.

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