“The roofer came out, walked around for five minutes, said everything was fine.” I hear this all the time. And look—maybe everything was fine. Or maybe five minutes isn’t nearly enough time to actually inspect a roof. A real inspection, one that tells you something useful, takes close to an hour.
Here’s what it should actually involve if you’re in Little Egg Harbor or anywhere in Ocean County.
The Exterior Inspection
Shingle Condition
Somebody gets on the roof. Walks every section of it—not a glance from the ladder. They’re looking at each shingle. Cracks, curling, missing tabs, bare spots where the granule coating’s worn off. Those bare spots are a bigger deal than they look—once the granules are gone, UV eats the asphalt fast. They’re also checking that shingle edges are sealed down tight. Along the Shore, one decent gust peels a loose shingle right off.
Flashing and Penetrations
This is where a lot of problems start and nobody thinks to look. Flashing—the metal around chimneys, skylights, vent pipes, wall transitions. Inspectors check for lifted edges, cracked sealant, rust. Every vent boot and pipe collar gets examined. I’ve seen roofs that looked perfect except for one cracked rubber boot around a plumbing vent. That one crack was sending water into the attic every single time it rained.
Gutters and Drainage
Gutters aren’t technically the roof but they’re part of the system. Clogged or damaged gutters back water up under the roof edge. Rots the fascia boards. Creates ice dams in winter. Salt air along the Shore eats at gutter metal and flashing faster than it does inland. An inspector who’s worked around here knows to check for corrosion specifically.
The Interior Inspection
Attic Ventilation and Moisture
The outside can look great while the attic tells a completely different story. A good inspector goes up there and checks the underside of the decking for water stains—past leaks, current leaks. They look for daylight poking through the boards. Sun gets in, rain gets in. Pretty straightforward.
Ventilation is the other piece. Bad airflow traps heat and moisture in the attic. Warps the decking. Cooks the shingles from below. Causes ice dams in the winter. Inspector checks that soffit and ridge vents are clear and actually working. Something I run into all the time in older Ocean County homes: bathroom exhaust fans vented straight into the attic instead of outside. That pumps warm, humid air right into the space you’re trying to keep dry. Code violation and a mold factory all in one. I’ve seen attics with so much moisture buildup from this that the plywood was growing mushrooms. Not an exaggeration.
Insulation Levels
While they’re in the attic, insulation gets checked. Thin or uneven insulation makes ventilation problems worse. DOE recommends R-49 for attics in our climate zone. If you’re way below that, bumping it up saves energy and makes your roof last longer. Two birds.
Structural Assessment
Past the surface now. The inspector’s checking whether the structure itself is sound. Rafters, trusses, decking. Any sagging means something’s weakened. They press on the plywood, feeling for soft spots that haven’t shown up visually yet. Experienced professional roofing inspectors can feel a problem under their boots before it’s visible anywhere else.
Older homes get extra scrutiny here. Two or three layers of shingles stacked up, or solar panels added after construction—that’s extra weight the framing may not have been built for.
The Written Report
A real inspection ends with paperwork. Not a verbal “looks good.” An actual report: photos, descriptions of every issue, overall condition rating, estimated remaining lifespan. If something needs fixing, the report should say exactly what and exactly where. You should be able to hand this document to another contractor and they should understand exactly what’s going on without stepping foot on your roof.
This document is useful for insurance claims, real estate negotiations, and just knowing where you stand. At GRM Roofing, those reports are detailed enough that you can compare year to year—track whether things are holding steady or sliding.
When to Schedule an Inspection
Once a year minimum. Fall’s the sweet spot—catches issues before storm season. Also after any serious weather event, and always before buying or selling a house. Takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Homes with solar or complicated rooflines take a bit longer since the inspector needs to check around the mounting hardware too.
GRM Roofing does free inspections throughout Little Egg Harbor and Ocean County. There’s no downside to knowing what’s going on up there.
Know What’s Above Your Head
Your roof is out of sight basically 100% of the time. That’s kind of the point. But out of sight shouldn’t mean forgotten about. One inspection a year. Less than an hour. Gives you a clear picture. Call (609) 389-2485 for a free one.