The roof of a home is one of the most common areas for water penetration to occur.  America's Home Inspections will identify the different signs and degree of roof failure.  From flashings to life expectancies, it's all included.

Method of Inspection

There are several methods of inspecting a roof. Typically, it is walked on, checked from a window from above, by a ladder at the eave, or from the ground with binoculars. If at all possible, the roof should be walked on, unless it would damage the material, such as older slate, or it would be unsafe or dangerous to the inspector. As a minimum, a ladder should be placed at the eaves, and the evaluation performed from that location. Windows from above provide an excellent opportunity to evaluate as much of the roof as possible from that location. The last resort is inspecting it from the ground with binoculars.