Just a quick look after heavy rain, maybe once a season. Moisture meters are cool and all, but yeah... pizza wins every time.
I totally get the temptation to just do a quick walk-around after a storm and call it good—especially when you’ve got other stuff on your plate (and pizza is always more fun than roof checks). But I’ve seen some gnarly surprises hiding up there, even on roofs that looked fine from the ground.
Here’s the thing: sometimes those “small issues” don’t show up as puddles or obvious leaks until they’ve already done their damage. I had a client last year with a flat TPO roof—he only checked it after big storms, too. Looked fine for months, then suddenly he had water stains along an interior wall. Turns out, there was a tiny puncture near an HVAC curb that let water in slowly over time. By the time he noticed, insulation was soaked and mold was starting to pop up behind drywall. Not fun.
I’m not saying everyone needs to go full inspector mode with drones and moisture meters every month (that’s overkill for most folks), but I do think there’s value in setting up a simple routine:
1. Twice a year (spring/fall), do a slow walk across the whole roof—not just after storms.
2. Check around penetrations (vents, skylights, HVAC units) for cracked sealant or loose flashing.
3. Look for blisters, bubbles, or soft spots if you have membrane roofing.
4. Clear debris from drains/gutters—clogged drains are sneaky troublemakers.
5. Snap a few photos each time so you can compare year to year.
It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive—just consistent. That way you catch stuff before it turns into a budget-buster.
And yeah, sometimes I’d rather be eating pizza too... but trust me, dealing with insurance claims and mold remediation is way less tasty.
Just my two cents from crawling around too many roofs that “looked fine.”
Had a business owner tell me once, “If it ain’t raining inside, I’m not worried.” Two months later, half his ceiling tiles were on the floor after a surprise leak. I get the pizza thing—heck, I’d rather eat than climb ladders—but man, those hidden roof gremlins don’t care about your lunch plans. Anyone else ever find random screws up there and wonder where they came from?
I’ve definitely found screws, nails, even a random washer or two up there and had no clue what they were for. Sometimes I think the roof just sheds hardware when it’s tired. I try to check mine at least once a year, but honestly, it’s usually after I spot a stain on the ceiling. Anyone ever actually catch a problem before it turned into a mess? Or is it always “fix it after the fact” for everyone else too?
I try to check mine at least once a year, but honestly, it’s usually after I spot a stain on the ceiling.
That’s pretty much how it goes for most people, I think. I’ve only ever caught something early because I was up there looking for something totally unrelated—like chasing down a satellite cable issue. Ended up spotting a cracked vent boot before it leaked, which felt like winning the lottery compared to the usual “oh great, water in the break room again” situation.
Most of the time, though, it’s reactive. Especially with flat roofs—stuff just sits up there and you don’t notice until you get a puddle inside. I’ve seen fasteners work loose after freeze-thaw cycles too, so sometimes those random screws are just from expansion and contraction over time.
Honestly, unless you’re really disciplined about inspections (or have someone doing them for you), most folks only find out when there’s already damage. Wouldn’t mind being proven wrong on that... but yeah, stains are usually the first sign for me too.
Honestly, unless you’re really disciplined about inspections (or have someone doing them for you), most folks only find out when there’s already damage.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen a few businesses save themselves a ton of hassle by setting up a simple quarterly walk-through—nothing fancy, just a checklist and a phone camera. It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Even just poking around after big storms or freeze-thaw cycles can catch stuff before it gets expensive. Waiting for stains is risky, especially with older flat roofs... sometimes by the time you see it inside, the deck’s already rotting.