Roof inspection
Roof Inspection in Howell, Michigan
A free, no-obligation inspection by a local roofer who actually walks your roof, with written findings and photos you can keep.
What does a roof inspection include?
A real roof inspection covers six things: the outside of the house for signs of hail and wind, the shingles on every slope, the flashing around chimneys, walls, skylights and vents, the attic ventilation, the decking underneath, and the gutters and roof edge. Our inspection in Howell and across Livingston County is free. You get written findings with photos, and a straight answer on whether the roof needs nothing, a repair, or a replacement.
Free
Inspection and written findings, no obligation
2x a year
How often the NRCA recommends a roof inspection
74
Confirmed severe weather events in Livingston County since 2020
HAAG
Certified hail and wind damage inspectors on staff
When to get your roof inspected
Most roof problems are small when they're caught early and big when they're found late. A cracked vent boot or a lifted row of shingles is a small repair in October. The same spot after a winter of ice and melting snow can mean wet insulation, a stained ceiling and soft decking. These are the times a call makes sense:
- A storm with high wind or hail came through, even if the roof looks fine from the driveway
- Your roof is 15 years old or more and nobody has been on it in years
- You see a ceiling stain, a damp spot in the attic, or a drip after heavy rain
- You had ice dams or icicles along the eaves last winter
- Shingle granules are collecting in the gutters or at the bottom of downspouts
- You are buying or selling a home
- Your insurance company asked about the age or condition of your roof
- It's fall, and you want to know the roof is ready before the first freeze
The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends an inspection twice a year, in spring and fall, and after severe weather. Most homeowners don't do that, and that's fine. If you only do one, make it the fall, before the first freeze.
What we check on every roof
A quick look from a ladder misses most of what matters. Here is what we look at, in the order we do it.
- 1From the ground firstBefore anyone climbs, we walk the house. Gutters, downspouts, window screens, siding and the A/C unit show whether hail or wind hit your property and from which direction. We also look at the roofline for sagging and at the gutters for granules.
- 2The shingles across every slopeWe walk the roof and handle the shingles: creased or lifted tabs, broken seal strips, cracking, missing pieces, nail pops and granule loss. Wind damage starts at the edges, so we pay extra attention to the eaves, rakes and ridge.
- 3Flashing and everything that goes through the roofMost leaks are not in the middle of the roof. They are at chimneys, sidewalls, skylights, plumbing vent boots, exhaust vents and valleys. We check each one for gaps, cracked sealant, rusted metal and rubber boots that have split in the sun.
- 4VentilationAn attic needs air coming in low at the soffits and going out high at the ridge or roof vents. When that balance is off, heat and moisture build up, shingles age faster and ice dams form in winter. We check that the intake and exhaust are both there and not blocked.
- 5The decking underfootSoft or spongy spots mean the wood under the shingles has taken on water. You can't see it from the ground, but you can feel it on the roof, and it changes whether a repair is possible or whether the roof needs to be replaced.
- 6Gutters, drip edge and the roof edgeWe check that drip edge is installed, that the gutters are attached and draining, and that water is being carried off the roof and away from the house instead of backing up under the first course of shingles.
What you get when we're done
You shouldn't have to take a roofer's word for anything. Every inspection ends with something you can read, look at and keep.
- Written findings in plain language, slope by slope
- Photos of anything we found, so you can see it for yourself
- A straight answer: nothing needed, a repair, or a replacement
- A written, itemized estimate if work is needed
- Documentation you can use with your insurance company if storm damage is found
If the answer is a repair, our roof repair team handles it. If the roof is at the end of its life, we walk you through a roof replacement with an Owens Corning Platinum system installed by our own crews. Not sure which it should be? Our guide on how to decide between repair and replacement lays out the same framework we use on the roof.
What Michigan weather does to a roof
Livingston County roofs take a beating from three directions. The first is wind. NOAA's Storm Events Database recorded 74 confirmed severe weather events in the county between January 2020 and May 2026, and most of them were thunderstorm winds. Wind often breaks the seal between shingles without tearing them off. The tab lifts and lies back down, and from the driveway the roof looks fine. The next storm drives water underneath it.
The second is ice. Through the winter, snow on the roof melts during the day and refreezes at night along the cold eaves. That builds an ice dam, and water backs up behind it and under the shingles. A roof with weak ventilation or failing flashing shows it first at the eaves. Our guide to preventing ice dams covers what you can do about it.
The third is age. Many of the subdivisions built around Howell, Brighton and Hartland in the 1990s and 2000s still have their original builder-grade roofs. Those roofs are reaching the end of their life now, and the first signs are usually at the places where the roof changes direction: valleys, dormers and chimneys.
Storm inspections and insurance
After hail or high wind, the inspection changes. Our HAAG Certified inspectors chalk a 10 by 10 test square on each slope, check every shingle in it by hand, and document the damage against the same standards insurance adjusters use. You find out whether you have functional damage before you open a claim, which matters, because a claim that doesn't qualify still goes on your record.
The full process, including what hail damage actually looks like and how the claim works in Michigan, is on our storm damage page. If you already have a claim open, see insurance claim assistance.
Buying or selling a home
A general home inspection includes the roof, but it's one item among hundreds. Under the American Society of Home Inspectors standards of practice, a home inspector isn't required to walk on the roof, so many inspect it from the ground, a ladder or a drone. That's often enough to spot an old roof. It's usually not enough to find a failing flashing detail or soft decking.
If you're selling, an inspection before you list tells you what the buyer's inspector is going to find. If you're buying, it tells you what you're taking on. Either way, you're negotiating with facts. Our article on buying or selling a home with an aging roof goes into more detail.
A Howell roofer, not a sales visit
On Top Roofing has been based at 5896 Sterling Dr in Howell since 2010. The person who inspects your roof works for us, and the crew that does any work is our own. We are an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, BBB accredited with an A+ rating, and HAAG Certified for hail and wind damage.
- Howell
- Brighton
- Hartland
- Fowlerville
- Pinckney
- Hamburg Township
- Genoa Township
- Oceola Township
- Marion Township
- Green Oak Township
- Whitmore Lake
- South Lyon
- Milford
- Highland
- Fenton
- Linden
- Holly
- Novi
- Dexter
- Ann Arbor
Frequently asked questions
Is your roof inspection really free?
How often should a roof be inspected in Michigan?
What is the difference between a roof inspection and a home inspection?
Should I get a roof inspection before I file an insurance claim?
Can you tell me how many years my roof has left?
Do you inspect roofs you didn't install?
Do I need a roof inspection to sell my house in Michigan?
Can you inspect a roof in the winter?
Related services
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We walk the roof, check what matters, and give you written findings with photos. No pressure, no obligation, and a straight answer either way.
Call (810) 588-3933