Chapter 24 Exercises: Roofing Systems

These exercises are designed to connect chapter concepts to your actual house. Most can be completed without any special tools or climbing on anything. Bring a notebook and a camera (your phone works fine).

Exercise 1: The Ground-Level Roof Survey

What you need: Binoculars (7x35 or 10x50 work well), a notebook, your phone camera.

Instructions: Walk to a point at least 30 feet from each elevation of your house (front, back, left side, right side). Using binoculars, systematically examine the roof surface on each side. For each side, record:

  • What material is the roofing? (Asphalt shingles, metal, tile, flat membrane?)
  • Can you identify the approximate age? (Any visible granule loss? Curling? Discoloration?)
  • Are there any missing or visibly damaged pieces?
  • How does each slope look relative to the others — does any side look significantly older or more weathered?
  • Can you see the flashing at any transitions (chimney, pipe boots, valleys)?

Write a brief condition report for each elevation.

Reflection: Did any side look significantly worse than the others? Does your observation match what you know about your roof's age and history?

Exercise 2: The Attic Inspection

What you need: A flashlight (or headlamp), a camera, a face covering for dust.

Instructions: Access your attic during daylight. Let your eyes adjust. Then:

  1. Look for any pinpoints of daylight coming through the decking — these indicate gaps or holes.
  2. Examine the underside of the decking in multiple locations. Look for water staining (brown or gray discoloration), soft or spongy spots (press gently with your finger), or black mold growth.
  3. Note the type of decking — is it plywood, OSB, or older board sheathing?
  4. Look at the ridge beam and rafters: any staining that would suggest water has tracked along them?
  5. Assess ventilation: can you see intake vents at the soffits? Is there ridge ventilation or attic fans at the peak?

Photograph any areas of concern. Note the location relative to visible roof features from outside (chimney, skylight, valley, vents).

Reflection: Did any staining patterns point to a specific location on the roof? Is there any correlation between staining and a feature you identified in Exercise 1?

Exercise 3: Flashing Inventory

What you need: Your Exercise 1 binoculars and notes, plus a camera.

Instructions: From the ground with binoculars, identify and catalog every flashing location on your roof:

  • How many plumbing vent pipes penetrate the roof? What do their flashings look like? Are they lead (dull gray) or rubber/plastic (black or gray, matte)?
  • Is there a chimney? Can you see both side step flashing and counter flashing embedded in the masonry? Or does it appear to be caulked?
  • Are there skylights? Can you see flashing material around them?
  • Where are the roof valleys? Are they open metal valleys or closed/woven?
  • Are there any roof-to-wall junctions (dormers, additions, walls rising above the roofline)?

Build a simple list of every flashing type you can identify. Note anything that looks like it might be failing — lifting, separated, or heavily caulked.

Exercise 4: Identify Your Shingle Type and Estimate Age

What you need: Binoculars, the receipts/permits for your house if you have them, your notes.

Instructions: Using what you've learned about shingle types:

  1. From ground level, can you tell whether your asphalt shingles are 3-tab (uniform, flat appearance) or architectural/dimensional (thicker, varied shadow lines)?
  2. Do the shingles appear to have granule coverage? Can you see exposed dark asphalt mat areas?
  3. Do any shingles appear to be curling (corners turning up) or cupping?
  4. Check your gutters: are there significant quantities of granules accumulated? (You can check the downspout outlet area too.)
  5. If you have records or can identify the installation date, calculate the shingle age. Cross-reference with the realistic lifespan table in Section 24.2.

Based on your observations, estimate the likely remaining life of your roof in ranges (e.g., "5–10 years," "10–15 years," "needs immediate evaluation").

Exercise 5: Rainstorm Observation

What you need: A moderate rainstorm, rain gear, notebook.

Instructions: During or immediately after the next moderate rain at your house (plan to do this during a scheduled rain period — don't wait for a storm), make the following observations:

  1. Walk the perimeter of the house. Is water overflowing any gutters? If so, where — and are the gutters flowing to the overflow point from the proper direction (toward the downspout)?
  2. Is water running off the roof edge anywhere instead of into the gutters? (Missing sections, gutters pulled away.)
  3. Observe downspout outlets — where is the water going? Is it pooling near the foundation or moving away?
  4. Are there any areas where water is dripping from the soffit — suggesting it's getting behind the gutter or under the roof edge?
  5. After rain stops, check your basement/crawlspace for any new wetness or dripping.

Reflection: This exercise is often eye-opening. Many people identify a gutter overflow or missing extension they never noticed.

Exercise 6: Research Your Roof Age and History

What you need: Your home's purchase records, permit history, or conversations with previous owners.

Instructions: Try to determine the actual installation date of your current roof. Sources:

  • Home inspection report from purchase
  • Building permits (most municipalities have online permit search tools — search for your address)
  • Receipts or warranty cards if you have them from a previous reroof
  • HOA records if applicable
  • Ask neighbors if you bought from a long-term owner

Once you have an approximate installation date: 1. What material was used? (Often on the permit.) 2. What is the rated/marketed lifespan? 3. Using the realistic lifespan analysis from Section 24.2, and your local climate, estimate the realistic remaining lifespan. 4. Has the attic ventilation been adequate? (From Exercise 2 above.)

Exercise 7: Compare Roofing Contractor Proposals

What you need: Two or three quotes from roofing contractors for either a real project or a simulated "replacement" scenario.

Instructions: Contact two or three local roofing contractors and ask for a proposal to replace your roof, or call for quotes as if you are planning to replace it. Request itemized written proposals. Compare:

  • Shingle product: manufacturer, product name, rated wind resistance, warranty terms
  • Underlayment specification: felt or synthetic? Brand?
  • Ice-and-water shield: where specified? Full deck or eaves/valleys only?
  • Decking replacement: is it included? What's the per-sheet or per-square-foot add-on cost?
  • Flashings: which flashings are included? New or reused pipe boots? Chimney counter flashing included?
  • Cleanup and permit: who pulls the permit? Is debris removal included?
  • Manufacturer vs. contractor warranty: what warranties are provided?

Reflection: How much do the proposals vary in what they include? Is the lowest bid actually less expensive when you normalize for the scope? This exercise teaches you to read proposals critically rather than comparing total price alone.

Exercise 8: Pitch Estimation

What you need: A level (12-inch or 24-inch), a tape measure.

Instructions: Estimate your roof pitch using the "level and tape" method:

  1. Find an accessible area at the eave where you can hold a level horizontally and measure vertically — or access the attic near the ridge.
  2. From inside the attic, hold the level against a rafter horizontally and level it.
  3. At the 12-inch mark from the rafter, measure the vertical distance from the level down to the rafter.
  4. That measurement is your rise — express as X:12 pitch.

Alternatively, you can estimate from the ground using a pitch calculator app (several are available free for smartphones — point the camera at the roof and the app calculates pitch from the image).

Once you know your pitch: - Identify which roofing materials are appropriate for your pitch (Section 24.1 and 24.5) - Assess whether your roof is walkable safely (below 6:12) or requires professional inspection only - Consider what pitch-related factors affect your shingle lifespan (Section 24.2)

Exercise 9: Evaluate a Flat or Low-Slope Section

If your house has any flat or low-slope roof section (common on porches, additions, and modern homes):

Instructions: From ground level or an accessible second-floor window where you can look onto a flat section:

  1. What is the membrane type if visible? (Black rubber = likely EPDM; white or light gray = likely TPO; graveled surface = built-up or modified bitumen)
  2. Are there any visible standing water areas? (Flat roofs should have slight slope to drains — ponding water indicates inadequate slope or blocked drain)
  3. Are there visible cracks, blisters (raised bubbles in the membrane), or patches?
  4. How does the perimeter look — is there a parapet, gravel edge, or flashing at the transition to vertical walls?

If you can safely step onto a flat roof section (single-story only, dry conditions, proper footwear), look for the drain and check whether it's clear of debris.

Exercise 10: Calculate the Water Volume Your Roof Handles

What you need: Your roof dimensions (measurable from the ground using basic trigonometry or from your home's blueprints) and local rainfall data.

Instructions: 1. Measure or estimate your roof's footprint (length x width of the house). 2. Using your roof pitch, calculate the actual roof surface area (a 4:12 pitch adds about 5% to the footprint area; 8:12 adds about 20%; use the formula: surface area = footprint × (square root of (rise² + 12²)) / 12). 3. Find the average annual rainfall for your location (NOAA has this data freely available at weather.gov). 4. Calculate annual water volume: Surface Area (sq ft) × Annual Rainfall (inches) ÷ 12 × 7.48 = gallons per year.

Reflection: Most homeowners are surprised by the volume. A 1,500 sq ft roof in a city with 40 inches of annual rainfall handles over 37,000 gallons per year. This is why gutter and drainage capacity — and roofing system integrity — matter so much.

Bring your Exercise 1 and 3 findings to the Chapter 25 discussion, where you'll evaluate where all that water goes once it leaves the roof edge.