GNG Roofing & Construction logo
Historic home roof replacement in Grabill, Indiana

Home / Services / Roofing / Roof Inspection

Roof Inspection In Fort Wayne & Grabill, IN

Historic home roof replacement in Grabill, Indiana

// Roof Inspection

Know What's Actually Going On Up There

A roof inspection is the fastest way to find out what condition your roof is really in, before a small issue turns into a leak. GNG offers free roof inspections for homeowners across Fort Wayne, Grabill, and Northeast Indiana.

It is also the first step in every other job we do. What we find decides whether you are looking at a roof repair or a roof replacement, and sometimes it decides that you are looking at neither one yet. See all of our roofing services.

// When To Schedule One

Good Times For A Roof Inspection

After a hail or wind storm
Before buying or selling a home
As part of annual home maintenance
When your insurance company requests one
If you've noticed a leak or ceiling stain
When your roof is nearing 15 to 20 years old

// What We Check

What's Included In An Inspection

1

Shingles & Flashing

We check for curling, cracking, missing shingles, and flashing failures around chimneys, vents, and valleys.

2

Attic & Ventilation

We look at ventilation, insulation, and any signs of moisture or daylight coming through.

3

Gutters & Downspouts

We check that water is actually draining away from the roof and foundation the way it should.

4

Written Report

You get a clear summary of what we found and what, if anything, needs attention.

// Definition

What A Real Roof Inspection Covers

Five things, not one. If the report only talks about shingles, it was a sales call.

A roof inspection checks five things: the shingle field, the flashing at every penetration and wall, the decking underneath, the attic for moisture and daylight, and the ventilation balance between intake and exhaust. A report that only covers shingles is not a roof inspection.

The attic half is the part most people have never had done, and it is where the useful information usually is. From underneath you can see daylight through a nail hole, frost or staining on the sheathing, insulation that has been wetted and matted down, and whether the soffit vents are blocked by that insulation. A roof can look sound from above while the attic is telling you the ventilation has been failing for years.

Flashing is the other half. Most leaks start where the roof is interrupted rather than in the open field, so the chimney counterflashing, the step flashing along walls, the valley detail, the skylight curbs, and the pipe boots get looked at individually. Pipe boots in particular tend to crack from ultraviolet exposure long before the shingles around them wear out.

// Straight Answers

Roof Inspection Questions, Answered

What does a free roof inspection include?

Five checks: the shingle field, the flashing at every penetration and wall, the decking underneath, the attic for moisture and daylight, and the ventilation balance between intake and exhaust. Ours adds gutters and downspouts, because drainage failures show up as roof problems. You get a written summary of what we found. It is free, and there is no obligation to book work afterward.

How often should I have my roof inspected?

Once a year for a roof past its first decade, plus a check after any hail or high-wind event. Insurance is the practical reason for the storm timing: most policies have a filing window, and damage becomes harder to attribute to a specific storm the longer it sits. Newer roofs can go longer between routine looks, but a post-storm check is worth doing at any age.

Do I need to be home for the inspection?

No. The roof, the exterior, and the drainage can all be inspected with nobody home, and we can send the written report afterward. Being there helps for the attic portion, which needs interior access, and it means we can show you what we found instead of describing it. Most homeowners choose to be there for the walkthrough at the end.

What happens after the inspection?

You get a written summary and a clear recommendation. Sometimes that recommendation is to do nothing yet, and we will say so. If work is needed we price it: a targeted roof repair when the failure is contained, or a roof replacement when the roof is at the end of its service life. The estimate is written, itemized, and free.

Can you inspect after a hailstorm for an insurance claim?

Yes, and sooner is better. We document what we find with photographs and a written report you can hand to your carrier. Most policies have a filing window, and damage gets harder to attribute to a specific storm as time passes and more weather goes over it. We do not tell homeowners a claim will be approved, because that decision belongs to the adjuster. We make sure the evidence is recorded properly.

Will walking on my roof damage it?

Not on a sound roof, when it is done carefully and in the right conditions. Asphalt shingles are brittle in freezing weather and soft in high heat, so timing matters, and a roof already at the end of its life can shed granules under any foot traffic. Where access is risky or the roof is too fragile to walk, we inspect from ladders and from the ground and say so in the report rather than guessing.

// Storm Damage

Telling Hail Damage From Wind Damage

Hail damage on asphalt shingles looks like dark bruises where the granules have been knocked off, usually round and randomly scattered. Wind damage looks like creased, lifted, or missing shingles, usually along a roof edge or ridge. The two get confused constantly, and the difference matters because insurers treat them differently and because a creased shingle can look fine from the ground while its seal is already broken.

Two things make hail damage easy to miss. It is often not visible from the driveway at all, and its softer signs show up first on the metal on the roof rather than the shingles, so dents in vents, valleys, and gutter aprons are the giveaway. If a storm went through and you are unsure, get it looked at while the date is still easy to establish. That is the single most useful thing a homeowner can do after a hailstorm, and it costs nothing.

We document what we find, photograph it, and give you the written report to use however you want, including with your insurance carrier. We do not tell homeowners a claim will be approved. That decision belongs to the adjuster.

// Who Does The Inspection

The Same Crew That Would Do The Work

The inspection is done by GNG's own crew, not a commissioned inspector working from a script. That matters because the person on your roof is the person who would have to stand behind the repair, which is a strong incentive to describe the roof accurately rather than expensively.

GNG Roofing & Construction is an Amish-owned family business in Grabill, Indiana, licensed and insured, roofing in Northeast Indiana for more than 34 years, with a 10-year craftsmanship warranty on the work and a 4.9 out of 5 rating across 30 Google reviews. Nothing is subcontracted out. Inspections cover Fort Wayne, Grabill, and the towns we serve around them. Read about the family behind GNG, or see the rest of our roofing services.

Aerial drone view of completed roof install in Grabill, Indiana

// FAQ

Roof Inspection Questions

Is the roof inspection really free? ▾

Yes. We inspect the roof and give you a written summary of what we find at no cost, with no obligation to book any work.

How long does a roof inspection take? ▾

Most inspections take under an hour, depending on roof size and access.

Do you inspect roofs for home buyers and sellers? ▾

Yes, a pre-purchase or pre-listing inspection is one of the most common reasons homeowners call us.

GNG Roofing completed metal roof project

Tell Us What You're Building

Contact Us ↗