Roof inspection in Fort Collins

What a roof inspection (Fort Collins or anywhere on the Front Range) has to find

There is no generic roof checklist that works here. At 5,000 feet, with a hail season that runs May through August and chinook winds that can gust hard in January, the failures are specific, so the inspection is too.

Hail. A bruise from a one-inch stone feels like a soft spot in an apple and shows as a dark circle where granules were knocked loose. Blistering from heat looks similar from the ground and completely different up close. A good inspector checks each slope by hand and photographs the hits.

Sun. South- and west-facing slopes in Fort Collins age years ahead of the north side of the same house. Thin, brittle, cupping shingles with bare mat showing at the butt edge are a UV problem, not a hail problem, and insurers generally treat them as wear. Knowing which one you have before you file is worth the price of the report.

Wind. Gusts coming down off the foothills break the adhesive strip between shingle courses. A shingle can look perfectly seated and still be loose. A good inspector lifts a few on every slope; a shingle that lifts without resistance is a shingle that will be in the neighbor's yard by March.

Wet spring snow and ice. The March and April storms that drop a foot of heavy snow then melt in two days push water under the eave course. Look for stains on the fascia, rusted nail heads at the drip edge, and — from the attic — water trails on the underside of the deck along the north eaves. If the roof has no ice-and-water membrane at the eaves, the report should say so.

Old Town specifics. Houses west of College and north of Mulberry often have skip sheathing under later plywood, a second layer of shingles, and a brick chimney with decades-old flashing. Each changes what a repair or replacement costs, so a good inspection checks for all three.

Hail damage roof inspection in Fort Collins

After a storm, the inspection comes down to one question: is there functional damage, and how much? A roofing inspection for hail damage in Fort Collins, CO should cover every slope, the soft metals (gutters, vents, flashing) and the ridge caps, with dated photos. A roof inspection for storm damage adds the wind side: lifted or creased shingles on the windward slopes. Photograph the damage yourself and call your insurer or agent. A roofer can give you a written repair estimate and photos, but in Colorado only a public adjuster licensed by the Colorado Division of Insurance can negotiate a claim for you. The hail damage page explains how claims work.

How the visit goes

1. Ground walk. Gutters, downspouts, window screens and AC fins — where hail leaves collateral marks that confirm a storm hit this house.
2. On the roof. Every slope walked where safe. Penetrations, flashing, valleys, ridge caps, eave course and skylights photographed. Old Town gables over 10/12 or an icy roof may get a drone pass plus a ladder, and the report should say which was which.
3. In the attic. Ventilation first — is the ridge vent cut through the deck, are soffit vents buried in blown-in insulation, is there frost on the nail points. Then stains, daylight, and the underside of every penetration.
4. The report. A photo, a one-line explanation, a repair price and an urgency note per finding, plus an honest remaining-life estimate. If nothing is wrong, it should say so. Ask when it will arrive.

When homeowners need a written report

Buyers usually have a short inspection deadline in the purchase contract, so book early in the window. A written roof estimate (Fort Collins buyers often attach one to a repair request) can come with the report.

What it costs

Repair and replacement estimates from local roofers are usually free; a formal written inspection report typically runs $150–$300, depending on roof size and pitch. Ask up front which one you're getting.

Why a drone flyover is not an inspection

A drone is handy for the overview shot and on roofs too steep or icy to walk. But a camera cannot press on a bruise, lift a shingle to test the seal, feel a spongy deck, or get into your attic. A "free drone inspection" followed by a replacement quote is a quote based on a photograph. If you want to see what the attic side of this looks like, read how to find a roof leak from inside. When the report turns something up, the roof repair page explains what comes next.

Questions to ask before you book

• Will someone walk the roof, or only look from a ladder or a drone?
• Will they go into the attic?
• Is this a free estimate or a paid written report, and what does the report include?
• Will the report show photos of the slopes that are fine, not only the damage?
• When will you have it in hand?

A clear answer to all five tells you what you're getting before anyone climbs up.

What you can check yourself between visits

You don't need a ladder for most of it. Twice a year, in spring after the last snow and in fall after the leaves, walk the house with binoculars. Look for shingle pieces in the beds, dark rings at the base of vent pipes, lifted tabs on the west slopes and granules piled at the downspouts. Then spend five minutes in the attic on a bright afternoon: daylight through the deck, damp insulation, or rusty nail tips all deserve a closer look. Write down what you see and the date, and take a photo from the same spot each time so changes are easy to spot. A short log like that makes the next professional visit faster, and it gives you something to compare against after the next storm.