Checklist
Roof inspection checklist, and the signs you need a new roof.
You can do most of a real roof inspection from the ground, the eaves and the attic — no ladder onto the roof, no risk. Work through the list below. If two or three items ring true, have it looked at properly before the next storm or the next thaw.
The checklist
From the ground
- Missing, curled, cupped or buckled shingles
- Dark patches where granules have washed off
- Granules collecting in gutters and at downspout outlets
- Sagging or wavy rooflines
- Dented gutters, vents, flashing or metal wraps (hail)
- Moss or heavy debris in valleys
Close to the house
- Rotten or peeling fascia and soffit
- Gutters pulling away, overflowing or holding standing water
- Rust or gaps at chimney and sidewall flashing
- Shingle debris in the yard after a windstorm
- Daylight visible at the roof edge from under the eave
In the attic
- Water stains, streaking or dark rings on the sheathing
- Damp or compressed insulation
- Daylight through the deck boards
- Mould or musty smell
- Blocked soffit vents or no exhaust ventilation
- Frost on nail tips in winter (a ventilation problem)
Inside the living space
- Ceiling stains, especially near chimneys and skylights
- Peeling paint at the top of exterior walls
- Drips during heavy rain or during a snowmelt thaw
- Ice building along the eaves in winter
How we inspect
Drone-safe roof inspections, read by HAAG-certified eyes.
Safe drone roof inspections
We fly a high-resolution drone over every slope, ridge, valley and penetration before anyone sets foot on the roof. It is safer for our crew, gentler on your shingles, and it captures the kind of close-up evidence an adjuster can read — without risking a person on a wet or damaged surface.
- No unnecessary walking on damaged shingles
- Steep, tile and multi-story roofs inspected safely
- Aerial photos stored with your file
HAAG-certified inspectors
HAAG certification is the roofing industry’s recognized standard for forensic damage assessment. A HAAG-certified inspector is trained to tell hail damage from normal wear, wind creasing from installation defect, and ice-load damage from age-related failure — then document it the way insurance carriers and appraisal processes accept.
Why that matters for you: our findings carry weight with your adjuster, which means legitimate storm damage is less likely to be written off as wear and tear, and your claim has a better chance of being scoped correctly the first time.
When repair stops making sense
- The roof is 18–25 years old and on original shingles
- Shingles are brittle and crack when lifted
- You are repairing the same roof every season
- Granule loss is widespread, not isolated
- Multiple leaks in different areas at once
- Decking is soft or sagging between rafters
If it is a repair, see what we repair. If it is time for a new roof, here is what replacement costs in Utah and how our replacement works.
Why homeowners pick Harbor
The boring guarantees that actually matter
25-year warranty
Every roof we install is backed by a 25-year warranty, in writing.
Licensed & insured
A fully licensed and insured Utah crew — never a fly-by-night storm chaser.
HAAG-certified inspectors
Trained to the roofing industry’s forensic damage standard, so your inspection holds weight with the adjuster.
Drone roof inspections
High-resolution aerial documentation of every slope — safer for our crew and gentler on your shingles.
Insurance claims handled
We document the damage, meet your adjuster, and walk the claim through with you.
Answered 24/7
An active leak at 2 a.m. is still an emergency. Someone picks up the phone.
Inspection questions
- How often should a roof be inspected?
- Once a year, and again after any hailstorm or high-wind event. In Utah, spring after the snow load comes off is the most useful time.
- How long does an asphalt shingle roof last in Utah?
- Typically 18 to 25 years. Intense UV at altitude, freeze-thaw cycles and heavy snow shorten that on south and west slopes, which usually fail first.
- Can I inspect the roof myself?
- You can do the whole ground-level and attic checklist yourself safely. Do not climb on the roof — most homeowner roof injuries happen on the ladder, and walking damaged shingles can destroy claim evidence.
- What does your free inspection include?
- A drone flyover of every slope for safe, high-resolution photos, followed by a HAAG-certified inspector walking the roof when it is safe. We also check the attic and ventilation, take measurements, and give you a written recommendation — repair or replace, with the reasoning. No obligation and no pressure.
- What is HAAG certification and why does it matter?
- HAAG is the roofing industry’s recognized training standard for forensic damage assessment. A HAAG-certified inspector can distinguish hail damage from normal wear, wind creasing from poor installation, and snow-load damage from age-related failure — and document it the way insurance adjusters and appraisers accept. That credibility helps legitimate claims get scoped correctly the first time.
- Why use a drone to inspect a roof?
- Drones let us photograph every slope, ridge and valley without first putting a person on a damaged or steep roof. It is safer for our crew, gentler on your shingles, and gives us the aerial perspective that often shows storm damage more clearly than a ground view.
Service area
We cover all 29 Utah counties and southwest Wyoming
Utah & Wyoming
Every county in Utah
- Beaver
- Box Elder
- Cache
- Carbon
- Daggett
- Davis
- Duchesne
- Emery
- Garfield
- Grand
- Iron
- Juab
- Kane
- Millard
- Morgan
- Piute
- Rich
- Salt Lake
- San Juan
- Sanpete
- Sevier
- Summit
- Tooele
- Uintah
- Utah
- Wasatch
- Washington
- Wayne
- Weber
WYOMING
- Rawlins
- Rock Springs
- Green River
- Lyman
- Cokeville
- Evanston
Towns we work in most
Not sure whether you’re in range? Call us at 801.839.4186 and we’ll tell you straight — no runaround.