Inspecting your roof from inside

What to look for in the attic

• Sagging decking between the rafters.
• Outside light visible from the attic. On a shake roof this may not be a problem — shakes swell and seal during the wet months. On any other roof, seeing the sky through it is not a good sign.
• Signs of leaking: dark spots in the wood, especially around vents and chimneys, or stained drywall and ceiling tiles if the attic is finished.
• If you find a dark spot on the wood, test it. Still wet, or soft when you press a screwdriver to it, means a current problem. Dry and hard means it has already been dealt with.
• Water stains or sagging ceilings. These can come from an active leak — or from condensation caused by poor ventilation.

And if you find something?

If any of these signs are present, inside or out, you need either repairs or a new roof. How far the damage has gone decides which.

Sometimes a new roof costs less than repeatedly fixing the damage caused by an old, continuously patched one. Whatever you decide, the point has come to talk to a contractor and understand what to expect from the project.