The Complete Roofing Inspection Checklist for 2026
A roofing inspection checklist is the foundation of every successful insurance claim. Miss a damaged component during inspection, and you either leave money on the table or end up back on the roof a second time — on your own dime.
The best storm restoration contractors don't rely on memory or experience alone. They use a systematic roofing inspection checklist that ensures every component is evaluated, every piece of damage is documented, and every photo the insurance carrier needs is captured the first time.
This checklist is based on data from thousands of tracked claims and covers everything from pre-inspection safety to interior damage indicators that most contractors miss entirely.
Pre-Inspection Checklist
Before you get on the roof, complete these steps:
- Check weather conditions — Do not inspect in rain, high winds (>25 mph), or lightning. Wet roofs are a safety hazard and damage is harder to identify.
- Verify homeowner is present — The homeowner should be on-site to provide access, discuss concerns, and see the damage firsthand.
- Review property information — Confirm address, roof age, material type, and any previous claims or repairs.
- Check insurance claim status — If this is a storm damage inspection, confirm the claim number, date of loss, carrier, and adjuster assignment.
- Inspect from the ground first — Walk the perimeter and look up. Identify obvious damage, missing components, and safety concerns before climbing.
- Set up ladder safely — Follow OSHA guidelines: 4:1 angle ratio, secured at the top, extending 3 feet above the roofline.
- Photograph the full property — Take 4-corner exterior photos before getting on the roof. These establish the overall condition and are required by most carriers.
Exterior Ground-Level Checklist
Walk the entire perimeter of the property and document:
Gutters and Downspouts
- Gutter dents or deformation from hail impact
- Gutter granule accumulation (indicates shingle deterioration)
- Downspout damage or disconnection
- Gutter seam separation or pulling away from fascia
- Splash block displacement
Siding and Exterior Walls
- Hail impact marks on siding (measure and photograph)
- Cracked or broken siding panels
- Dented window screens or frames
- Damage to window trim or casing
- Dented or damaged HVAC units, meter boxes, or outdoor equipment
Fencing and Outbuildings
- Fence damage from wind or hail
- Shed or outbuilding roof damage
- Garage door dents
Why it matters: Ground-level collateral damage establishes that a storm event occurred and supports the severity of the impact. Insurance adjusters use this to validate roof damage claims.
Roof Surface Inspection Checklist
This is the core of your roofing inspection checklist. Evaluate every component systematically.
Shingles (Asphalt)
- Hail hits — Look for dark spots, bruising, or granule loss in a random pattern. Use the "golf ball test" — press your thumb into a suspected hit to feel for soft spots indicating mat damage.
- Wind damage — Lifted, curled, or missing shingles. Check along ridges, hips, and edges where wind uplift is strongest.
- Cracking or splitting — Horizontal or vertical cracks indicating age deterioration or thermal cycling.
- Granule loss pattern — Random granule loss (storm damage) vs. uniform wear (age). Document both with close-up photos.
- Exposed fiberglass mat — Where granule loss has progressed to exposing the underlying mat.
- Blistering — Raised bubbles in the shingle surface. Note: blistering can be caused by manufacturing defects or improper ventilation, not just storms.
- Algae or moss growth — Dark streaks or green growth indicating moisture retention.
- Nail pops — Nails backing out through the shingle surface, creating puncture points for water.
Metal Components
- Roof vents — Dents, cracks, or deformation. Check all box vents, turbine vents, and ridge vents.
- Pipe boots/flashings — Cracked rubber, torn collars, or missing pipe boot covers. Document each penetration individually.
- Drip edge — Dented, bent, or missing sections at eaves and rakes.
- Valley flashing — Dents, punctures, or displacement in open valley areas.
- Step flashing — Along walls, chimneys, and dormers. Check for lifted, bent, or missing sections.
- Chimney flashing — Counter-flashing, step flashing, and cricket/saddle condition.
- Skylight flashing — Check all four sides for seal integrity, cracking, and proper overlap.
Ridge and Hip Caps
- Ridge cap damage — Cracking, lifting, or missing ridge cap shingles.
- Hip cap damage — Same inspection as ridge caps along all hip lines.
- Ridge vent condition — External baffles damaged, mesh torn, or vent pulled away from roof surface.
Roof Structure
- Decking condition — Walk the roof surface and feel for soft spots indicating rotted or delaminated decking. Mark and photograph any spongy areas.
- Sagging or dipping — Visible sag lines between rafters indicating structural issues or water damage.
- Penetrations — Count and photograph all roof penetrations (pipes, vents, skylights, satellite dishes, HVAC curbs).
Interior Inspection Checklist
Most contractors skip the interior. Don't. Interior indicators often reveal damage that isn't visible from the roof surface and significantly strengthen insurance claims.
Attic Inspection
- Daylight visible — Can you see light through the decking? This indicates holes, gaps, or missing shingles.
- Water stains on decking — Dark spots on the underside of the decking indicate active or past leaks.
- Wet insulation — Compressed or discolored insulation near the roof surface.
- Mold or mildew — On decking, rafters, or insulation. Indicates chronic moisture intrusion.
- Ventilation assessment — Count intake vents (soffit) and exhaust vents (ridge, box, turbine). Calculate the net free area ratio. Improper ventilation causes premature shingle failure and can void manufacturer warranties.
Ceilings and Walls
- Water stains on ceilings — Brown or yellow rings indicating roof leaks.
- Paint bubbling or peeling — On ceilings or upper walls, especially in rooms directly below the roof.
- Drywall cracks — New cracks in ceiling drywall can indicate structural shifting from storm damage.
Photo Documentation Checklist
This is where most roofing inspections fail. Carriers deny claims for "insufficient documentation" more than any other reason. Use this photo checklist to capture everything the first time.
Required Photos (Every Inspection)
- Full property — all 4 sides from ground level
- Roof overview — from the highest point showing the full roof plane
- Each roof slope — individual photos of every plane
- Damage overview — wide shots showing damage pattern and distribution
- Damage close-ups — tight photos of individual hail hits, wind damage, etc.
- Measurements — pitch gauge photo, tape measure on damage for scale
- All penetrations — each pipe boot, vent, skylight, and chimney
- All flashings — step, valley, drip edge, and chimney
- Ridge and hips — full-length photos of all ridge and hip lines
- Gutters — damage and granule accumulation
- Collateral damage — ground-level equipment, siding, windows, fencing
- Interior — any attic or ceiling indicators
Carrier-Specific Requirements
Different insurance carriers have different photo requirements. Before your inspection, check what the specific carrier requires:
- State Farm — Requires minimum 10 close-up photos of hail impact on each slope
- Allstate — Requires photos from all 4 ground-level corners plus roof
- USAA — Requires geotagged, timestamped photos
- Farmers — Requires comparison photos (damaged vs. undamaged areas)
Using carrier-specific photo checklists eliminates the "insufficient documentation" denial. HailMate's Photo Intelligence feature includes built-in carrier-specific checklists that guide your reps through exactly what photos are needed for each carrier.
Post-Inspection Checklist
After completing the roof inspection:
- Review all photos — Verify every checklist item was photographed before climbing down. Going back up costs time and credibility.
- Walk through findings with homeowner — Show them the damage on your phone/tablet. Informed homeowners are easier to work with throughout the claims process.
- Provide written assessment — Even if just a summary, give the homeowner something in writing before you leave.
- Log the inspection — Record all findings in your CRM immediately, while details are fresh. Don't wait until you're back at the office.
- Submit to insurance — If the claim is filed, submit your documentation to the carrier promptly. Delays hurt approval rates.
- Schedule follow-up — Set a follow-up date with the homeowner. Don't leave without a next step.
Digitize Your Roofing Inspection Checklist
Paper checklists get lost in truck consoles. Photos taken on personal phones leave when reps leave. The most effective roofing inspection checklist is one that's built into your workflow:
Photo Intelligence — Carrier-specific required photo checklists built into the app. Your reps can't close an inspection until every required photo is captured.
Claims Workflow — Inspection findings flow directly into the 13-stage claims pipeline. No re-entering data, no lost documentation.
Offline Mode — Inspections happen in the field where cell service is unreliable. HailMate works fully offline and syncs everything when you're back online.
The goal isn't just a thorough inspection — it's a thorough inspection that's permanently documented, attached to the job, and ready for the insurance carrier. A checklist on a clipboard doesn't achieve that. A digital system does.
Related Reading
- The Complete Storm Damage Roofing Claims Process — Your inspection is step 2 of a 13-stage process. Understand the full claims lifecycle.
- How to Write Roofing Supplements That Get Approved — What you document during inspection determines what you can supplement later.
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This roofing inspection checklist is provided for informational purposes. Always follow OSHA safety guidelines, manufacturer specifications, and local building codes when performing roof inspections. Consult with licensed professionals for specific code requirements in your jurisdiction.