A roof inspection is a roofer walking your roof (where it is safe to) and checking the parts that keep water out: the tiles or sheets, ridge capping, valleys, flashings, gutters and downpipes, plus a look in the roof space for stains and daylight. The point is to find small faults, like a cracked tile, a lifted screw or a blocked valley, while they are still a quick fix rather than a ceiling repair. It is worth booking one before winter, after a big storm, when you are buying a home, or when you have not had anyone up there for a few years.
Roof inspections are part of our roof inspection and maintenance service across Adelaide's north-east. This guide explains what we look at and why.
What a roofer checks on a tile roof
- Ridge and hip capping. Cracked, crumbling or missing pointing, and caps that move when pressed. This is the most common fault on Adelaide tile roofs (see our rebedding and repointing guide).
- Tiles. Cracked, slipped or broken tiles, often caused by foot traffic from other trades such as antenna, solar or air conditioning installers.
- Valleys. The metal channels where two roof slopes meet. Leaves and silt build up here and push water back under the tiles.
- Surface condition. Moss and lichen, porous or flaking tiles, and worn coatings that tell you how much life the roof has left.
What a roofer checks on a metal roof
- Screws and fixings. Screws that have backed out, missing seals, or rust starting around the screw heads.
- Laps and sheet ends. Where sheets overlap, and the ends at the gutter, which can rust if leaves and dirt sit against them.
- Rust. Surface rust caught early can often be treated and re-coated. Rust that has eaten through means sheets need replacing.
- Lifted sheets. Wind can work sheets loose over time, especially on exposed ridges and edges.
What gets checked on every roof
- Flashings. The metal that seals the joins: against walls, around chimneys, flues, skylights and vents, and along the edges. Failed flashings are one of the most common leak sources.
- Gutters and downpipes. Blockages, sagging, lost fall, rust and split joins. Overflowing gutters can push water into the eaves and walls.
- Penetrations. Anything that goes through the roof, such as vents, flues, antenna mounts and solar brackets.
- The roof space. Where it is accessible, water stains on the timbers, damp insulation, daylight showing along the ridge, and signs of birds or vermin.
Small faults found on the day can often be fixed on the spot. For anything bigger, you get a plain-English rundown of what is fine, what to keep an eye on and what needs doing. Sam will also tell you when nothing needs doing.
When to book a roof inspection
- Before winter. Autumn is the best time, so gutters and valleys are clear and any cracked mortar is fixed before the heavy rain.
- After a storm. High winds and falling branches can lift sheets and crack tiles without it being obvious from the ground. If water is already coming in, see our storm-damaged roof guide first.
- When you are buying a home. A general building inspection covers the whole house, so the roof often only gets a look from accessible areas. If the report flags the roof, or the roof is older, a roofer's inspection gives you a clearer picture before you settle.
- After other trades have been up. Solar, antenna and air conditioning installs all involve people walking on the roof.
- If it has been a few years. Most roofs never get looked at until they leak.
Signs you need one now
- A ceiling stain, or a drip when it rains (our guide to why roofs leak covers the common causes)
- Bits of mortar or tile in the gutters or on the ground
- Gutters overflowing in moderate rain
- Rust streaks on a metal roof or down the fascia
- Ridge caps that look wavy or out of line from the street
- A musty smell or damp patches in the ceiling
Why it is safer to leave it to a roofer
Pitched roofs are a genuine fall risk, tiles crack under the wrong footstep, and older metal roofs can have soft spots. A roofer has the gear to get up safely and knows where to walk. You can still do a useful check from the ground: walk around the house with a pair of binoculars after rain, look at the ridge line and gutters, and take photos of anything that looks wrong. Those photos are a good starting point for a quote.
Based in Redwood Park, we inspect roofs in Tea Tree Gully, Modbury, Golden Grove, Salisbury and across greater Adelaide. If the gutters need attention as well, our gutter replacement guide explains when cleaning is enough and when it is not.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a roof be inspected?
A check every year or two is sensible for most homes, and after any big storm. Older roofs, and homes with lots of trees overhanging the roof, benefit from a check every year before winter.
Is a building inspection the same as a roof inspection?
No. A general pre-purchase building inspection covers the whole house, so the roof may only be looked at from accessible areas. A roofer's inspection focuses on the roof itself and what it would take to fix any faults.
Can you inspect a roof without walking on it?
Partly. A lot can be seen from a ladder at the gutter line, from the roof space, and with binoculars from the ground. Some faults, like cracked pointing or loose screws, are only found up close.
What happens if the inspection finds a problem?
Small faults such as a slipped tile or a loose screw can often be fixed on the spot. Larger work is explained and quoted so you can decide what to do and when.
Want Sam to take a look?
Send a photo through the quote form for an honest assessment and a free, no-obligation quote, or call Sam directly.
