Most homeowners don't think about their roof until it's leaking. By then, you're not looking at a $200 repair — you're looking at $8k+ in water damage, insulation, and drywall.

Here's the rule of thumb we use in the field: once a roof hits 15 years old, it should be inspected annually, not "when something looks wrong." Shingles lose granule protection gradually — you can't see it from the ground, and by the time a stain shows up on your ceiling, the damage has usually been building for months.

Three things we check every time that homeowners almost never think to look at themselves:

• Flashing around chimneys/vents — the #1 source of "mystery leaks"

• Gutter granule buildup — tells us how much life your shingles have left

• Attic ventilation — bad airflow cooks your shingles from underneath, cutting roof life by years

If your home is 15+ years old and you've never had a real inspection (not just a drive-by), it's worth the hour. We do full written reports with photos so you know exactly what you're dealing with — no upsell pressure, just the facts.

Happy to answer roofing questions here if anyone has them.