Why Should I Get a Free Roof Inspection If I Don’t See Damage?
Homeowners often wonder: If my roof looks fine, why bother with an inspection? It’s a fair question—but the truth is, the signs of roof damage aren’t always visible from the ground. We sat down with Zach Varadi and Paul Browne from McCoy Roofing to answer some of the most common questions about free roof inspections.
Why should I get a roof inspection if I don’t see damage?
“You don’t know what to look for,” Zach explained. “You’re not an expert. You don’t go to your cousin Rick if you need a doctor—you go to the doctor.”
Paul added, “We’re roof experts, we know what to see.”
What are the risks of relying only on visible damage?
“Your eyes ain’t that good,” Paul said plainly. “What you think might be damage might not be the real damage.”
Zach elaborated, “It’s hard to see hail hits from the ground and flashing issues. A lot of times, rotting wood is a giveaway. If it’s painted wood, you can’t tell it’s rotten until you touch it. Your hands and your fingertips will tell you, sometimes, more than your eyeballs.”
What kinds of problems can a professional spot that homeowners usually miss
According to Zach, home inspectors—though valuable—aren’t usually specialists in roofing. “I’ve worked with a lot of real estate agents, in transaction, and that comes up a lot. Home inspectors, as much as they like to think, are a jack of all trades, master of none… they’re not specialized in roofs, usually. So sometimes they think it’s messed up, but it’s not. A roofer can look at it and see, ‘This roof is ugly and old—but it’s still good.’”
How can annual inspection records help with insurance or resale?
Zach noted that roofing inspections are particularly valuable during home sales. “Home inspectors might flag something that isn’t actually a problem. Having a roofer’s record can help show the roof’s real condition—and that makes a big difference with both insurance companies and buyers.”
Is a free roof inspection just a sales pitch?
“It’s very rare that someone can get on a roof that has been on for a few years and not find potential issues that need to be repaired or replaced,” Paul said. “But it’s not always a sales pitch. Our job is to look after the customer, so the customer can look after us.”
Zach was candid about the sales side: “It’s not always a sales pitch, but we’re salesmen—that’s what we try to do. Roofing can be just like any other small business. I just went to a bike shop, and they didn’t screw me over, and now I’m loyal to that bike shop. Someone referred me to them, said they were great—they were great. When the bike works great, I’ll be their customer forever.
If they were sketchy, they would have gotten my business one time, but I’d go somewhere else. It always feels good to have ‘a guy.’ We know that the power of referrals is super huge, so we give you what you need and don’t give you what you don’t need. That’s how we win—customer loyalty is huge.”
Bottom line: Why get a free roof inspection?
Reputation and trust matter. As Paul put it, “Good businesses will understand that business practices need to be mutually beneficial. Our job is to look after the customer, so the customer can look after us.”
A free roof inspection isn’t just about spotting damage—it’s about protecting your investment, documenting your roof’s condition, and giving you peace of mind. Even if your roof “looks fine,” an expert can confirm it or catch small issues before they become expensive problems.