You don't need to climb up to catch most roof and siding problems. A pair of binoculars and a slow walk around the house, twice a year, saves the expensive surprises.
Roof and siding problems are cheap to fix early and expensive to fix late, once water's been getting in for a while. The best homeowner move isn't climbing up, it's knowing what to look for from the ground so you catch trouble before it reaches the inside of your house.
Grab binoculars and walk around the house, looking up at the roof from a few angles:
Some of the best early warnings are indoors: water stains on ceilings or upper walls, especially around chimneys and in upstairs corners; a musty smell in the attic or daylight showing through the roof boards; and peeling paint on exterior overhangs. Check the attic with a flashlight after a hard rain for any damp spots or stains on the underside of the roof.
We don't recommend homeowners get up on the roof to inspect. Falls from roofs and ladders are among the most serious home-project injuries there are, and a wet, steep, or aging roof is genuinely dangerous. Everything worth checking, you can see from the ground with binoculars or from inside the attic. Leave the up-close look and any repair to someone with the right equipment and footing.
Spotting trouble is the homeowner's job; getting on the roof isn't. Call a pro when you see any of the warning signs above, when there's a water stain inside that points to a leak, after a significant storm or hail, or when the roof is simply getting up in years and you want a real assessment. Catching a lifted piece of flashing now is a small fix; finding it after it's rotted the decking is a big one.
Roof and siding trouble is cheap early and costly late. Let us get up there safely and tell you exactly what it needs.
Gutters, seals, outdoor faucets, the roof once-over — the seasonal jobs are easy to put off until they cost you. With a Home Plan we handle them on a schedule so nothing slips, with member savings and priority scheduling.
From a one-time fix to a Home Plan that keeps the whole place handled — we're right here in Columbus.
The Blue Collar Crew, LLC provides home-improvement and repair services in Southern Indiana. The do-it-yourself guidance on this page is general homeowner information for common, non-hazardous tasks — it is not professional advice and is not a substitute for a licensed trade where one is required. Do not attempt electrical wiring, gas, structural, or in-wall plumbing work yourself. Indiana does not issue a statewide general contractor license; licensed-trade work is performed by Indiana state-licensed plumbers (IC 25-28.5) and locally licensed electricians. For homes built before 1978, work that disturbs paint follows EPA's lead-safe RRP Rule (40 CFR Part 745). Work at your own risk and follow all product and tool safety instructions. A quote request is not a contract; no work is authorized until a separate written agreement complying with IC 24-5-11 is signed. Insured.
The Blue Collar Crew