Free Roof Inspection in Connecticut — and the Signs You Need a New Roof

What a roof inspection covers

NRCA says a roof inspection should include a thorough visual inspection of the roof system and the surfaces beside it, such as sidewalls and chimneys. InterNACHI's home inspection standards list the parts: the roof covering, gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing, skylights, the chimney and other roof penetrations, and the general structure of the roof. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) adds the attic: inspect the underside of the roof deck for leaks, carefully at every flashing point, because flashings are the most vulnerable points.

A general home inspection has limits: InterNACHI's standards do not require the inspector to walk on the roof or predict its service life. NRCA and ARMA both tell homeowners to stay off the roof; ARMA suggests looking from the ground or an upstairs window with binoculars.

If you would rather start online, the free roof estimate takes your address and measures the roof from high-resolution aerial imagery, and a Stallion Ridge representative walks you through the numbers.

Signs you need a new roof

ARMA calls a residential roof more than 20 years old a prime candidate for reroofing. Beyond age, the trade groups tell owners to watch for these conditions:

• Cracked, curled or split shingles. NRCA calls curling or splitting evidence of deterioration on an asphalt shingle roof.
• Missing shingles or loose tabs. NRCA says dislodged or missing tabs should be repaired to keep the roof weathertight.
• Granules in the gutters. NRCA lists excessive granules collecting in gutters or downspouts as a visible sign of trouble.
• Loose or worn flashing. Deteriorated flashings are among the problems NRCA says twice-yearly inspections can uncover.
• Stains inside. NRCA points to cracked paint, discolored plasterboard and peeling wallpaper. In the attic, ARMA says to look for stains or wet spots on the deck and rafters; in cooler climates a stain can also be condensation from poor attic ventilation.

Dark streaks may not be damage. ARMA says brown or black streaks on shingle roofs are often airborne algae, an aesthetic issue that will not damage the roof. It warns never to scrub shingles or pressure wash them, which may loosen granules. Roof cleaning is one of our services.

How long roofs last, by material

These are InterNACHI's estimates, offered as a general guideline; roofs that see severe weather such as hail may fall short of them.

Repair or replace?

A leak does not automatically mean a new roof. NRCA says leaks can come from loose flashing or a damaged section, while a complete roof system failure generally is irreversible. Connecticut's 2022 State Building Code exempts roof repairs from permits only when they are limited to 25 percent of the roof covering within one calendar year.

New shingles cannot always go over old ones. Section R908.3.1.1 of the 2021 International Residential Code, which Connecticut's 2022 code adopts without amending that section, bars a roof recover where the existing roof is water soaked or too deteriorated to serve as a base, where it is slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile, or where it already has two or more layers. A new shingle roof here also needs an ice barrier, which Connecticut requires statewide from the lowest roof edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line. The Connecticut roofing code guide covers the wind, snow and ice barrier rules, and our town roofing pages list each town's figures.

We work on asphalt shingle, metal, flat EPDM and TPO, slate and cedar shake roofs, plus skylights, chimney flashing and gutters. See roof repair and roof replacement for more. Financing is available through Service Finance Company and Hearth, subject to credit approval.

Connecticut weather and your roof

Freeze, thaw and ice dams

NRCA times inspections for spring and fall because asphalt shingle roofs take the most wear in below-freezing weather and in the most intense sun and heat. Ice dams form in winter, IBHS explains, when heat rising into the attic melts roof snow and the water refreezes at the colder eave; the dam grows until it holds back water that can be forced under the shingles and into the attic or walls. ARMA says ice damming over the winter may be cause to have a roofing professional inspect the roof and check attic ventilation. NRCA advises against removing ice dams or shoveling the roof yourself, which may damage the roof covering, flashings and gutters.

Snow, nor'easters and wind

Connecticut's code sets ground snow loads by town, from 30 to 40 pounds per square foot. The state's 2023 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan notes that buildings can be damaged when snow loads exceed what their roofs were designed for, and records the collapse or partial collapse of more than 100 roofs in the February 1–2, 2011 storm. The National Weather Service says nor'easters are most frequent and most violent between September and April and nearly always bring heavy rain or snow with gale-force winds. NRCA says most wind damage begins at a roof's edges and grows through repeated wind cycles.

Hail

The state plan reports that FEMA's National Risk Index rates most of Connecticut very low for hail, though the state still averages three to four severe hail days a year. NRCA says most hail damage is cosmetic, while significant granule loss, penetration or fracture may require new shingles. IBHS found that small hail knocks protective granules off asphalt shingles, speeding their aging, and that roofs exposed to weathering and two rounds of simulated hail under an inch across became up to ten times more susceptible to damage from later large hail than new shingles.

After a storm

NRCA's storm guidance: inspect only from ground level, have a professional roofing contractor inspect promptly, and except in extreme situations do not attempt repairs yourself. Openings should be covered with tarps to limit rain damage; emergency tarping is one of our services. For an insurance claim, NRCA suggests calling your insurer as soon as possible to request an assessment and asking a roofing contractor for a similar one. If the two disagree, you may request a reinspection, which NRCA says is common.

Town roofing pages near our Bethel base:

Common questions about roof inspections

Sources: NRCA consumer FAQs, storm repair guides and Professional Roofing (October 2013, November 2020); InterNACHI Standards of Practice and life expectancy chart; ARMA; IBHS; National Weather Service; Connecticut Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (December 2023); 2022 Connecticut State Building Code. Checked September 17, 2026. Stallion Ridge Exteriors is a service-area business based in Bethel, Connecticut.