Roofs intimidate most homeowners. They’re big, complex, and rather scary to look at from inside the attic. Roofs must be inspected from both the inside and outside. If your home doesn’t have a full attic, it should have some type of access door. During the 1970’s, unscrupulous contractors were known for not installing access doors to the attic. If your home doesn’t have an access door or panel, you might want to consider adding one. There’s no way to properly inspect the condition of your roof trusses or rafters unless you can see them from inside your home.

On the outside, the roof isn’t much to look at. Or is it? Carefully inspect the shingles to see if any are lifting up or missing. Most roof shingles have a 20-to-30-year warranty, but that doesn’t mean the shingles will stay in place when Mother Nature slams branches against the roof.