Condition check
Does my roof need repair? Check your roof
Eight questions you can answer from the ground or your attic in about two minutes. You will get an honest classification and what to do next — including "in good shape," which is a real result here.
If you can safely check your attic for stains or daylight through the deck first, do that — a couple of the questions below need it.
1. Roughly how old is the roof?
2. How much moss or algae do you see on the roof?
3. Are shingles or shakes curling, cracking, missing, or cupping anywhere?
4. Any bald spots or bare patches where the protective granules have worn off (asphalt shingle roofs)?
5. Any rust, gaps, or visible separation in the flashing around chimneys, vents, skylights, or walls?
6. If any part of your roof is flat or low-slope, does water pool there for more than 48 hours after rain?
7. Any water stains on interior ceilings or in the attic?
8. Any storm damage — missing shingles or shakes, dents, or debris impact — in the last year?
Why leaks and widespread moss matter most
Cosmetic wear — a little dark streaking, light surface rust, minor fading — is often years away from an actual problem. Active leaks and widespread moss-driven material damage are different: water finding its way past the roofing gets worse the longer it sits, and moss specifically traps moisture against shingles and shakes in a way that accelerates damage well beyond what the same roof would see in a drier climate. That is why this assessment treats an active leak or widespread material damage as urgent regardless of how the rest of the roof scores.
Age matters differently by material — asphalt shingle commonly runs 20-25 years here, cedar shake 15-30+ years depending on maintenance, and metal 40-70 years. See how fast moss actually damages a roof here and moss treatment vs. replacement.
If the answer is replacement
Ask every bidder to write down four things: whether the job is a full tear-off or a recover-over-existing, what underlayment they use, how they handle deck repair if they find it, and what algae-resistant or moss-resistant material options they offer for this climate. Those four are most of the difference between a roof that holds up and one that does not — and they are invisible once the roof is finished. Our roof replacement page covers what a proper installation involves.
Questions
About this check
When should a roof be replaced instead of repaired or treated?
The rough test is how isolated the damage is and how much life is left in the material. A single leaking flashing detail, light moss on an otherwise healthy roof, or a handful of damaged shingles is usually a repair or treatment. Widespread moss-driven lifting, rot, or a roof near the end of its material life is usually a replacement — chasing repairs across a failing system means paying labor twice.
Will this tool just tell me to buy a new roof?
"In good shape" and "likely fine for now" are common, real results here — most roofs under 15-20 years old with light moss and no active leak land there. We would rather you trusted the answer than acted on it once.
Is this the same as an inspection?
No. It is a structured version of the questions we would ask you on the phone, and it is only as good as what you can see from the ground or your attic. Some things — deck condition under the material, flashing condition on a steep pitch — can only be checked in person or from the roof itself. The on-site inspection is free.
Get a free on-site estimate
A real person answers. We walk the roof with you, check the deck, and give you a written per-square price — at no charge and with no pressure.