How often should a roof be inspected or replaced, and when is the best time?

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

How often should a roof be inspected?

Twice a year, by the trade's own advice. The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the roofing industry's association, says that problems are all too often discovered only after a leak or other serious damage, and that biannual inspections often uncover cracked, warped or missing shingles, loose seams, deteriorated flashing and granules collecting in the gutters. It suggests the homeowner's own look take place in the fall and the spring, from the ground or a ladder.

There is a third time worth adding: after any severe storm. The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), a research organization, says hail can fall in any strong thunderstorm and that hail damage can shorten a roof covering's life.

A professional inspection is a separate expense. Angi's survey puts a roof inspection at around $240 on average.

How often does a roof need replacing?

It depends far more on the material than on any schedule.

NRCA stresses that the real life of a roof depends on the local climate and environment, the design, the quality and suitability of the materials, how well it was put on and how well it is kept up. The National Park Service says some slate roofs have lasted over 200 years, and that slate roofs are all too often replaced when they could have been repaired. The Department of Energy figure comes from a 2021 article on combining a new roof with solar panels, which put roof life at 20 to 50 years depending on the materials used.

None of these is a replacement date. They are a guide to when the inspections described above deserve closer attention.

What is the best time of year for roof work?

None of the sources read names a best season, but the weather sets limits. NRCA says there are no specific temperature guidelines for when it is too cold to install asphalt shingles. It notes two cold-weather problems: shingles become brittle, which careful storage and handling can offset, and their self-sealing strips may not bond properly in the cold. In areas prone to high winds, it recommends hand-tabbing, dabs of adhesive under each shingle, to hold them until warmer weather lets the strips set.

Philadelphia's climate shows why that matters locally. At the National Weather Service's Philadelphia station, the normal low is 31.2 degrees in December, 26 in January and 27.5 in February, all below freezing, while March's normal low of 34.3 is above it. Normal snowfall is highest in February, at 8.4 inches. If a roof is replaced in those months, ask the roofer how it handles sealing in the cold.

Summer has its own pressure. The station's normal rainfall is highest from June through September, and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department says the summer severe-weather season is when contractor fraud is most prevalent. A roof job booked in summer deserves the full set of checks, however urgent it feels.

How quickly should you act after storm damage?

Quickly for your insurer, carefully for the roof. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says most insurers have a time requirement for reporting a claim, so contact your agent or company as soon as possible, and document the damage before removing anything. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department says repairs needed to prevent further damage can go ahead once the damage is documented, but permanent repairs should wait until the insurer has inspected and approved them. The scams guide covers the door-to-door offers that follow storms.

Does winter call for any checks?

Yes, for ice. The University of Minnesota Extension says ice dams need snow on the roof together with outside temperatures below freezing and a roof surface that is warmer higher up, and that the warmth mainly comes from the house below. With normal lows below freezing for three months at the Philadelphia station, a ridge of ice along the eaves after a snowfall is worth noticing. The extension warns that anyone on the roof in winter risks injury, so look from the ground.

So what is a sensible routine?

1. Look over the roof from the ground or a ladder each spring and fall.
2. Check again after any severe storm or hail.
3. Watch the eaves and the ceilings after snow.
4. Have a roofer inspect when you see the warning signs, or as the roof approaches the life the sources give for its material.

Signs your roof needs work explains what to look for at each check, and roofers who serve the area are on the roofers directory page.

Sources

1. Resources (frequently asked questions), National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)
2. Should I Replace My Slate Roof with a Synthetic?, National Park Service
3. Replacing Your Roof? It's a Great Time to Add Solar, U.S. Department of Energy
4. How Much Does Roof Replacement Cost? [2026 Data], Angi
5. Climate Normals for KPHL, National Weather Service
6. Shapiro Administration Reminds Pennsylvanians to be Mindful of Contractor Scams Following Major Summer Storms, Pennsylvania Insurance Department
7. Is It Hail Damage?, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
8. Assignment of Benefits: Consumer Beware, National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
9. Dealing with and preventing ice dams, University of Minnesota Extension
10. Shapiro Administration Provides Advice on Claims, Avoiding Scams Following Strong Storms and Flooding, Pennsylvania Insurance Department