Roof Inspections in Raleigh & Wilmington, NC
On Tops Roofing has been inspecting roofs across North Carolina since 1991. Our inspectors are trained to spot the problems most homeowners (and even some contractors) miss. We do thorough, honest inspections with detailed photo documentation for homeowners who want to know the real condition of their roof, for real estate agents who need a professional assessment before listing, and for buyers who want to know what they are getting into before closing.
Homeowners who ask us to bid a repair or replacement always get a free inspection. If you only want an independent assessment and no repair quote, we also do standalone paid inspections.
Our team is trained in professional roof inspection techniques and holds certifications through the National Roof Certification and Inspection Association. Because of that training, we catch the obvious damage and also the early warning signs most people walk right past. When we get on your roof, you can count on the report you get to reflect a thorough, systematic look at every component.
What We Inspect
Every On Tops inspection is a full-condition assessment of your roof. We check the components that matter most for longevity and performance. We look for problems you have today and for anything that could turn into one in the next few years. After the inspection you get a written report, with photos of every finding.
- Shingle condition
- Step & counter flashing
- Drip edge & starter strip
- Ventilation & attic airflow
- Masonry & chimney
- Pipe boots & penetrations
- Valleys & ridge caps
- Gutters & drainage
- Decking & structure
- Algae, moss & debris
- Kick-out flashing at wall transitions
- Shingle tab adhesion & seal strips
- Nail pops & fastener placement
- Attic ventilation balance
See What Your Report Looks Like
Each inspection comes with a detailed written report that has photos and our recommendations. Download the sample to see how much documentation you will get.
Request a Roof Inspection
Tell us a little about your property and why you want it inspected. We will get back to you within one business day to schedule it.
What We’re Looking For
A checklist only tells half the story. Below are the problems our inspectors are trained to find, why each one matters to your home, and what happens if nobody deals with it. The photos are all from real On Tops Roofing inspections.
Missing Shingles
A missing shingle is one of the most obvious signs of a roof problem, but homeowners often do not notice because they cannot see their roof from the ground. Shingles can blow off in storms, and they can also slide out of place when the adhesive strip fails or break loose when they were nailed too high during installation. Even one missing shingle leaves a bare spot, and every rain puts water straight onto the underlayment or decking. We document each missing or displaced shingle, where it is, and what likely caused it.
Why it matters: The underlayment under a missing shingle is only meant to be a temporary barrier. Left exposed, it breaks down quickly in UV light and starts letting water through within a few months.
Granule Loss
The ceramic granules on your shingles are there for more than looks. They are the shingle's main defense against ultraviolet radiation, and when they wear away, the fiberglass mat underneath sits directly in the sun and breaks down quickly. If the granule loss is advanced, a roof that looks from the ground like it has "a few more years left" can actually be losing protection fast. We check every slope and pay close attention to the south- and west-facing sections, which take the most UV exposure during North Carolina's long summers.
Why it matters: Once the fiberglass mat is exposed, the shingles turn brittle and crack, and within one to two seasons what looked like cosmetic wear is a leak path.
Flashing Deterioration
Flashing is the metal or sealant material that waterproofs the joints where your roof meets a wall, chimney, skylight, or valley. It is one of the most common sources of leaks, because the sealant on flashing does not last as long as the shingles do. Caulk-based sealant around chimney and wall flashing can crack and pull apart in as few as five years, which is long before the shingles start to show wear. We check every flashing joint for separation, corrosion, and improper lapping.
Why it matters: A pinhole gap in flashing sealant lets water behind the shingles, and it soaks into the decking and framing. These leaks are slow, and you cannot see them until the damage is significant.
Soft or Sagging Decking
When we walk your roof, we can feel the spots where the decking gives under our feet. That soft, spongy feel is a clear sign water has been getting under the shingles, sometimes through something as small as one nail hole or a hairline crack in the sealant. The leak can be small enough that it never shows up inside your home. But the decking soaks up that moisture for months and years, until the plywood starts to delaminate and rot. We check for soft spots across the whole surface and pay special attention to the areas around penetrations and valleys, where water collects.
Why it matters: Soft decking means structural damage has already started. Caught early, it may be a small area of decking to replace. If it is left alone, it spreads, and eventually a future replacement needs a much larger repair.
Pipe Boot Failure
Every plumbing vent that comes through your roof has a rubber or neoprene boot sealing the pipe to the shingles. Of all the roof leaks we find, these boots are the single most common source. They wear out in around six to ten years, depending on the brand and how they were installed. The rubber dries out and cracks and pulls away from the pipe, and that leaves an open path for water straight into your attic. On the majority of homes with roofs older than eight years, we find pipe boot issues. Most homeowners have no idea it is happening, because from the ground the boots look intact.
Why it matters: A failed pipe boot is an active leak, and the water follows the pipe down into the wall cavity or ceiling below. If it gets caught, the fix is straightforward, but years of slow-drip water damage are not.
Ridge Cap Cracking
The shingles bent over the peak of your roof take more abuse than any other part of the system. Folding them over the ridge puts stress on the material, and they sit at the highest point, where UV exposure and heat are at their worst. After years of North Carolina's summer heat cycles, these ridge cap shingles crack along the fold line, and water gets through the cracks into the ridge vent and down into the attic. It is one of the first spots to fail on an otherwise healthy roof, and from the ground it is almost impossible to see.
Why it matters: Cracked ridge caps are an active weak spot at the highest point of your roof. Water coming in here runs downhill inside the attic and can show up as a stain far from the actual source, so the leak is hard to trace.
Missing Kick-Out Flashing
Where a sloped roof edge meets a sidewall, there is supposed to be a small piece of flashing called a kick-out diverter that sends water into the gutter so it does not sheet down behind the siding. A surprising number of homes do not have one, newer construction included. Without it, water runs behind the siding and soaks into the wall sheathing and framing, and in North Carolina's humidity that trapped moisture is ideal for mold and wood rot inside the wall cavity. You cannot see any of the damage from outside until it is advanced.
Why it matters: When a $150 flashing detail is missing, the wall repairs run $5,000 to $15,000 once the rot reaches the framing. We flag it on every inspection because catching it early is the difference between a minor fix and a major project.
Nail Pops & Fastener Problems
As temperatures swing, your roof decking expands and contracts, and over time that pushes nails back up through the shingles. These "nail pops" leave a small raised bump that breaks the shingle's water seal. The nail can also puncture the shingle above it, and then you have a direct leak path. You cannot see nail pops from the ground, but our inspectors can feel them underfoot as they walk the roof. We also look for signs of high nailing, where the original installer put the nails above the manufacturer's specified nail line. High-nailed shingles have significantly less wind resistance and can void your manufacturer warranty.
Why it matters: A roof designed to handle a 110+ mph wind rating may fail in a 60 mph wind event if it has nail pops or improper nail placement. This also affects insurance claims and warranty coverage.
Roof Accessories
There is more on your roof than shingles. Chimney caps, satellite dish mounts, dryer vents, slant-back exhaust vents, powered attic fans, natural gas appliance vents, and other accessories all go through the roof surface or sit on top of it. Each one is a potential failure point, and most of them start having problems well before the shingles around them show any wear. Chimney caps rust and lose their screens. On satellite dishes, the lag bolts corrode and the sealant cracks. Dryer vent hoods leak at the nail penetrations and where the shingle seal meets the hood. Plastic slant-back vents crack over time, and any nails left exposed on them will eventually leak. We check every accessory on your roof, because this is often where the first problems start.
Why it matters: A failed chimney cap lets water and animals into your flue, and a corroded satellite mount turns into a direct leak path. Caught early, these are small, inexpensive fixes, but if they are ignored for years they do real damage.
Storm Damage
Hail, wind, and falling debris leave marks on shingles that you can barely see from the ground but are obvious up close. Hail bruises the shingle surface and knocks granules loose in circular patterns. High winds lift shingle edges and break the adhesive bond, and those tabs are then exposed to the next storm. A fallen branch can crack shingles without moving them, so from your driveway the roof looks fine while water seeps through hairline fractures every time it rains. After any significant storm in North Carolina, we recommend an inspection, even if you do not see obvious damage from the ground.
Why it matters: Insurance claims for storm damage have filing deadlines, and the longer damage goes undocumented, the harder it is to tie to a specific event. A timely inspection with photos gets you the documentation you need if you decide to file a claim.
Know Your Roof’s Real Condition
Inspections are free for homeowners requesting a bid. Every one includes a detailed photo report.