ServicesRoof Inspections
Spencer Roof Inspections That Start With the Past Repairs
An older roof has a story. Layered patches, shingles laid over shingles, flashing that's been up for decades. We go up on the roof, look through the attic and give you photos of everything we saw. Then you get a plain answer on what needs fixing now and what doesn't.
What a Roof Inspection Is For
A roof inspection tells you where your roof stands before something forces the question. We look at the shingles, the flashing, the vents, the decking where we can see it and the attic underneath. You get a straight answer about the condition, not a sales pitch for a new roof.
On an older house, the inspection matters more. Past owners and past roofers leave their marks. Tar smeared over a chimney instead of real flashing. Roofing cement on a vent boot that cracked years ago. Shingles laid over an earlier layer, which hides soft decking. We look for that kind of thing on purpose.
We bring 30+ years of roofing experience to every inspection. That time on roofs is what lets us tell an old repair that is holding from one that is about to let go.
What We Check on Your Roof
Shingles and roof surface
We look for missing, cracked, curled and blistered shingles, and for bare spots where the granules have worn off. We note hail bruising and wind-lifted tabs.
Past repairs and patches
We find every old patch we can and judge whether it was done right. Mismatched shingles, caulk-only fixes and tar over flashing all get noted with photos.
Flashing, vents and chimney
Most leaks start where something comes through the roof. We check chimney flashing, step flashing along walls, pipe boots and roof vents for gaps, rust and cracked rubber.
Attic and decking
Up in the attic we hunt for dark streaks on the wood, pinholes of daylight, wet or matted insulation and decking that dips between rafters. We check airflow too, because a hot, stuffy attic bakes shingles from underneath.
Number of layers
We check whether your home has one layer of shingles or two. That changes what a future repair or replacement involves, so you should know it now.
Gutters and drip edge
We check that gutters drain, that downspouts move water away from the house and that the drip edge is there and sound. Clogged or loose gutters can rot the fascia on aging houses.
Signs It's Time for a Roof Inspection
- You just bought an older house
- You may not know who worked on the roof or when. An inspection gives you a starting point and a list of what to watch.
- A hailstorm came through
- Oklahoma hail can bruise shingles without knocking any loose. From the ground the roof looks fine. Up close the damage shows.
- Ceiling or attic stains
- A tea-colored spot on the drywall is water that found a way in. The spot you see indoors often sits several feet from the actual failure, since water runs along the rafters first.
- Granules piling up in the gutters
- Some granule loss is normal. A lot of it means the shingles are wearing out and the roof has less protection left.
- Patched roof you never looked at
- If you can see tar spots, odd-colored shingles or caulk lines from the yard, those repairs deserve a closer look.
How the Inspection Goes
- 1
We set a time by phone
You tell us about the house, how old the roof is if you know and anything you've noticed. We set a time that works for you.
- 2
We walk the roof
We go up and check the surface, flashing, vents and old repairs. We take photos as we go so you can see what we see. If the roof is too steep or fragile to walk safely, we tell you and work from ladders and the ground.
- 3
We check the attic
With your okay, we climb into the attic and check the bare wood under the shingles, the insulation and how well air moves through. Problems that never show from outside, like slow drips around an old chimney, tend to turn up here.
- 4
We go over it with you
We sit down and walk through the photos. We sort the findings into what needs attention now, what can wait and what is fine. If roof repair or roof replacement makes sense, we explain why and what it would involve.
What Affects the Cost of an Inspection
Inspection cost depends on the roof and what you need the inspection for. A quick check on a simple roof is a different job from a full report on a house with decades of patches. We tell you the cost on the phone before we come out.
- Roof size and pitch
- A bigger or steeper roof takes longer to walk safely and check fully.
- Attic access
- A tight attic hatch or a low crawl space adds time. Some houses built decades ago have no easy way in at all.
- Layers and old repairs
- A roof with two layers or a lot of past patches takes more time to read, because each repair has to be checked on its own.
- Purpose of the report
- An inspection for a home sale or an insurance question may need more photos and written detail than one for your own records.
Roof Inspection Questions
- How long does a roof inspection take?
- Most take an hour or two. A large roof, a hard-to-reach attic or a lot of old repairs can stretch that. We'll give you a rough idea when we set the time.
- Do I need to be there during the inspection?
- It helps. When you're home, we can get into the attic and show you the photos right there in the yard. If your day doesn't allow it, we still check the outside and then go through each photo with you on a call afterward.
- Is this just a way to get me to buy a new roof?
- It isn't. Lots of older roofs still have good years in them after a few fixes. We report what's up there and tell you what we'd do on our own house. Dealing straight with people is how we want to earn your business.
- How often should an older roof be inspected?
- Once a year is a good habit for a roof with some age on it, and again after any big hail or wind storm. Spring storm season is a common time people in Spencer and Midwest City have us out.
- If you find problems, can you fix them?
- Yes. We handle roof repair, storm damage repair, gutters and full replacement, and any repair gets priced in writing first. You are never obligated to hire us because we did the inspection.
Find Out What's Really Up There
Tell us about your roof and when you'd like us out. We'll check it top to bottom and show you what we found.