New Jersey Roof Maintenance Checklist

Winter leaves damage that snow was hiding. Do this once the last freeze has passed and the roof is dry.

• (Ground/ladder) Clear the gutters of winter debris and confirm each downspout outlet discharges several feet from the foundation — fascia rot and the ice dams that come back next winter both start where water pools at the eave.
• (Ground) Look in the gutters and at the base of each downspout for a buildup of shingle granules, a coarse black sand — losing granules means the asphalt is wearing bare, usually on the south- and west-facing slopes first.
• (Ladder) Check every pipe boot — the collar around each plumbing vent — for a split in the rubber or a cone that has curled away from the pipe; a cracked boot is the single most common leak source we find on a New Jersey roof.
• (Ground) Scan up each slope for shingles that lifted, cracked, or went missing over the winter, and for nail heads that have backed out and are shining in the field.
• (Ground/ladder) Confirm the aluminum drip edge along the eaves and rakes is present and tight — a missing or loose drip edge lets water wick back under the deck and rot the fascia board.
• (Ground/professional) Trim any limbs so they clear the roof plane by several feet — branches that touch the shingles abrade the granules every time the wind blows and drop leaves that dam up the valleys.
• (Roof/professional) Have the flashing at every roof-to-wall termination checked; step flashing should be woven into the shingle courses, and anything sealed only with a bead of tar is a repair waiting to leak.

Heat is the enemy this season. Most summer checks are about whether your attic can breathe.

• (Ground/attic) On a hot afternoon, check whether air is actually moving: an attic that is baking with no draft means the intake is blocked, and a cooked attic bakes the shingles from underneath and takes years off their life.
• (Ladder) Inspect the soffit vents for paint, wasp nests, or insulation packed against the screen — blocked intake at the soffit starves the ridge vent so it cannot draw, which is the most common ventilation defect there is.
• (Ground) With binoculars, look for shingle blistering or clawing — edges lifting while centers cup — after a heat wave; that pattern points to an overheated attic, not just an old roof.
• (Roof/professional) Have skylight frames and their flashing aprons checked for cracked sealant or a dried-out gasket before the summer thunderstorms find the gap.
• (Ladder/professional) Look at the exposed sealant at flashings and penetrations — summer UV chalks and cracks old caulk, and once it splits it is no longer keeping water out.
• (Roof/professional) Clear spring seed pods, maple keys, and blown debris out of the valleys and from behind the chimney, where runoff concentrates and backs up under the shingles.

This is the most important pass of the year. Everything you clear now is something that cannot freeze solid in January.

• (Ladder) Clear the gutters after the leaves finish dropping and flush each downspout with a hose until water runs clean out of the outlet — a clog you leave now is an ice dam you get in January.
• (Ground) Confirm every downspout still carries water well away from the foundation and reconnect any extension that popped off over the summer.
• (Ground/professional) Cut back any branches you did not reach in spring, before they can load with ice and snap onto the roof.
• (Roof/professional) Have the chimney crown — the concrete cap on top — checked for cracks and the counterflashing where it meets the brick checked for gaps; both routes let water down into the chimney chase.
• (Roof/professional) Have the ridge cap shingles checked that they are all seated and nailed — the ridge is the most wind-exposed line on the roof and the first place caps lift off.
• (Attic) Have the insulation at the eaves checked so it is not smothering the soffit intake; a baffle holds insulation off the vent so outside air can enter, and that airflow is what actually prevents ice dams.
• (Schedule) Book a professional inspection before the first hard freeze if the roof is 7 years or older or you skipped a look this year.

Do your checking from the ground and from inside. An icy roof is off-limits to a homeowner.

• (Ground) After a snowfall, look along the eaves for a thick ridge of ice or a row of long icicles — an ice dam means warm air is melting snow up on the roof and it is refreezing over the cold overhang.
• (Planning) Understand that the fix for a roof that dams every winter is attic air-sealing, insulation, and ventilation — not a heat cable, which only masks the symptom and runs up an electric bill.
• (Ground) Use a roof rake from the ground to pull snow off the lowest few feet of roof after a heavy storm; never climb an ice-covered roof or chip at a dam with a tool.
• (Attic) During a cold snap, check the attic for frost on the underside of the deck or on the nail tips — that is household moisture condensing because the ventilation is coming up short.
• (Interior) Watch the ceilings and the tops of exterior walls for new brown stains after a thaw, the classic signature of ice-dam water backing up under the shingles.
• (Safety) Keep your distance from a snow-loaded roof — a licensed crew carries the fall protection to clear it safely, and a homeowner on an icy ladder does not.

Half of a roof's health is decided in the attic. Go up on a bright day, once in spring and once in fall.

• (Attic) With the lights off, look for pinpoints of daylight at the ridge, in the valleys, or around penetrations — any daylight is an opening that water will eventually find.
• (Attic) Run your eye along the underside of the deck for dark water staining, streaks running down below the nails, or plywood that feels soft and spongy; these map exactly where water has been getting in.
• (Attic) Confirm you can see clear baffles at the eaves holding the insulation off the soffit vents — blocked intake is the defect that quietly kills the ridge vent's ability to draw.
• (Attic) Check that the bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans duct all the way outside, not into the attic — venting moist air into the attic soaks the insulation and rots the deck.
• (Attic) Look for insulation that is matted, compressed, or missing, and for daylight around the attic hatch; both leak household heat upward and feed the ice dams at the eaves.
• (Attic) Note any mold or a musty smell — steady attic humidity means the balance between soffit intake and ridge exhaust is off and needs correcting.

Wind above roughly 50 mph, hail, or a downed limb warrants a look. Do it from the ground within a day, while any leak is still wet enough to trace.

• (Ground) Scan every slope for missing, lifted, or cracked shingles and check the yard and gutters for torn shingle pieces and washed-out granules.
• (Ground) Look along the ridge line for cap shingles that flipped or tore in the gusts — the ridge takes the hardest hit from wind.
• (Ground) Walk the perimeter for fallen limbs on the roof and for puncture points; a branch strike can drive a hole you will never see from below.
• (Ground/professional) Check the flashing at walls, the chimney, and skylights for pieces that lifted or peeled back in the wind.
• (Interior/attic) Look at the ceilings and up in the attic for fresh stains or an active drip within a day of the storm, while the entry point is still wet and findable.
• (Ground) Photograph any damage from the ground before you touch or move anything — dated photos are what both your insurance adjuster and your roofer will need.
• (Safety) Do not climb up to inspect after a storm; a wet or wind-loaded roof is how people get hurt, so call for an inspection instead.