Your Roof's Been Through Something

March is when I watch homeowners finally step outside and actually look at their houses. And nearly every time, they're shocked by what winter left behind. Ice dams, cracked shingles, flashing that's pulled loose—all of it sitting up there waiting for the first real spring rain to turn into a leak inside your master bedroom at 2 a.m.

I'll tell you what: a proper spring roof inspection checklist takes maybe 15 minutes, and it'll save you the kind of money that hurts. Most folks don't bother until water's already dripping onto their ceiling. By then, you're looking at interior damage, mold risk, and a repair bill that makes your eyes water.

So let's walk through this together—not the fancy inspection where you need climbing gear and insurance, just the honest ground-level and binoculars version that actually works.

Start From the Ground: What You're Actually Looking For

You don't need to be on the roof to catch most problems. Stand back maybe 20 feet from your house, grab some binoculars if you've got them, and look at the big picture first. Are shingles visibly curled or missing? Does any section look darker or discolored? Those are your red flags that something's rotting underneath or moisture's been sitting there longer than it should.

Now walk the perimeter slowly. This is where people rush, and rushing is how you miss the damage that actually matters. Take your time along each wall.

Shingles and Their Winter Damage Patterns

Winter goes hard on shingles. Freeze-thaw cycles crack them. Heavy snow and ice bend them upward at the edges. Hail—if you got any—leaves little divots that look harmless until water finds them. Once you're looking up close, check for:

  • Curled or cupped shingle edges (they should lie flat)
  • Missing or cracked shingles—even small cracks let water in
  • Bald spots where the granule coating has worn away (this happens faster after freeze-thaw stress)
  • Shingles that look lifted or nailed down unevenly

If you've got 3 or fewer damaged shingles in one area, this is DIY-able if you're comfortable on a ladder. If they're scattered across multiple spots or if you're seeing 5+ in one section, call a pro. The problem isn't the shingles themselves—it's what caused them to fail. A good roofer will find that.

The Hidden Culprits: Flashing and Valleys

Listen, flashing is where the real trouble hides. This is the metal trim that wraps around chimneys, vent pipes, skylights, and the valleys where two roof slopes meet. Winter shifts everything. Metal expands and contracts. Sealant cracks. Fasteners back out.

Walk your foundation line and look up at where the roof meets any vertical surface. The flashing should be smooth and sealed. If you see gaps between the flashing and the shingles, or if the sealant looks dried out and cracked, water's going to find that seam. A few summers back I watched a neighbor ignore a tiny gap at his chimney flashing—smallest thing, barely visible. By August, he had water staining in his attic and a mold situation that cost him $3,000 to remediate.

Roof valleys are equally important. These are the V-shaped seams where water naturally runs downhill. They collect debris—leaves, moss, ice dams—and if they're blocked or if the valley flashing is bent, water backs up under the shingles. From the ground, look down each visible valley. You shouldn't see standing water or obvious blockage. If you do, that's a gutter-and-valley cleaning job before the next rain.

Willy's Pro Tip: Most garden centers will point you toward fancy gutter guards—and look, they work fine, but you're mostly paying for the name. A $15 leaf strainer basket in each downspout does 80% of what those systems do. Check them in spring. That's your real preventive maintenance.

The Roof Damage After Winter Inspection Checklist

Here's the actual walk-around, section by section. You need binoculars, comfortable shoes, and about 20 minutes. Do this on a clear dry day so you're not sliding around.

North side first. This side stays wetter and colder longer. Moss and algae love it here. If you see green or black streaks, that's not just dirt—it's moisture retention, and it breaks down shingle material faster. Spray it off with a hose later, but note it now.

South and west sides. These get hammered by UV and wind. Look for fading shingles and any that are torn or lifting. Wind damage often shows up as a pattern—several shingles affected in the same area rather than random spots.

Valleys and flashing. Walk every valley. Check chimney flashing, vent pipes, roof-to-wall transitions, skylights if you have them. Look for gaps, separation, or sealant that's cracked and pulling away.

Gutters and downspouts. Even though this isn't technically your roof, clogged gutters back water up under the shingles faster than almost anything else. Clear them out. Make sure downspouts direct water at least 4 feet away from your foundation.

Interior check. Go into your attic—yes, really. Use a flashlight. Look for water stains on the roof decking or insulation. Light coming through cracks. These tell you where water's actually getting in, not where you think it might be.

When to DIY Versus When to Call Someone

Now here's the thing: I can fix a lot of things, but I know my limits. You should too.

DIY territory: Replacing 1-3 shingles. You need a utility knife, replacement shingles, roofing nails, and a little patience. There are a hundred YouTube videos. Cleaning out gutters and downspouts. Clearing moss or leaves from valleys. Resealing flashing with roof sealant if the separation is minor and there's no rust or damage underneath.

Call a professional: Anything involving structural damage. If shingles are cracked in patterns or large sections are affected. Any flashing that's rusted, separated widely, or where the underlying metal is dented. Water stains in your attic or any sign that water's actually gotten inside. Roof leaks that you can't trace to an obvious cause. Anything that requires you to be comfortable working at height for more than a few minutes.

A legitimate roofer will charge $150–300 for an inspection, and they'll catch things your binoculars won't. That's not wasted money—it's insurance.

The Timing Piece: Spring Rains Are Coming

March and April bring heavier precipitation in the Pacific Northwest. Those aren't gentle rains either—they're often driven, sideways stuff that finds cracks and gaps you didn't know existed. If you wait until May to inspect, you've missed your window. Most roof problems that cause actual leaks start in March and April. You've got about two weeks to do this walk-around and address anything serious before the real weather arrives.

Small fixes now prevent roof shingle damage signs from turning into actual leak damage. That's not just me being cautious—that's experience. A $40 can of roof sealant applied to gap right now beats a $2,000 interior repair in June.

One Last Thing

Your roof is literally the only thing standing between everything you own and the sky. It deserves 15 minutes of your attention while the season's changing. Most of what you'll find, you can fix yourself or manage with a single phone call. The stuff you miss—that's what gets expensive.