Roof Inspection in Oregon City & Portland: I Get on the Roof.
The roof is one of the most expensive systems on the home. It deserves more than a quick look from a ladder at the eave. I walk roofs whenever it is safe, and I use my FAA Part 107 licensed drone when it isn't. Either way, your report includes high-resolution photos of every finding, not a sentence saying the roof was "not inspected due to height."
A roof inspection done carefully.
Plenty of inspections settle for one method, whichever is easiest that day. I do whichever the roof needs, and I am licensed and equipped for both. The goal doesn't change: a close look at the roof's visible surfaces, with photos in your report to show for it.
I walk roofs whenever it is safe.
Walking the roof is the only way to feel soft decking under your feet, lift a shingle to check the seal, and look closely at each visible flashing, vent boot, and penetration. I walk roughly 80 to 90 percent of the roofs I inspect across the Portland metro and SW Washington.
A look from a ladder at the eave, or from the driveway with binoculars, misses the parts of the roof that fail first. A one-line note saying "roof not walked" is not much use to you on a system that costs five figures to replace.
FAA Part 107 licensed drone, when I can't.
Some roofs simply can't be walked safely. Steep pitches, wet or mossy surfaces, tile, slate, old wood shake, and tall multi-story homes all fall in that category. For those, I fly my drone. The aerial photos and video go straight into your report, with close-up detail you can't get from the ground.
Flying a drone on a paid inspection requires an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. I hold one, and it is current. It is worth asking any inspector who plans to fly your roof whether they do too.
Most expensive defects hide where ladders can't reach.
A roof "looks fine" from the ground until it doesn't.
Cracked plumbing vent boots, lifted step flashing at the chimney, soft spots in the decking, hail bruising, nail pops, exposed nails, separated kickout flashings, blocked valleys, missing drip edge, these all hide in plain sight from the curb. A ladder at the eave doesn't help much either.
Walking the roof is how they get spotted. Flying it is the next best way. A glance from the front yard is not, which is how a report ends up saying "appears serviceable" about a roof near the end of its service life.
The replacement cost of a roof in the Portland metro is well into the five figures. Knowing its visible condition before you close is worth doing right.
Roof surfaces, penetrations, flashings. Up close.
Whether I walk it or fly it, the same things get checked. Findings are photographed, explained in plain language, and rated by severity in your report.
Interactive
Every Part of the Roof, Up Close.
Tap a point on the roof to see what gets checked there, whether the roof is walked or flown.
Illustration. Tap a point to explore.
What gets looked at
Roof Covering
Walked when it’s safe, flown with the drone when it isn’t. The visible condition of the surface, across every plane that can be reached or seen.
- Material type and approximate age
- Visible wear, granule loss, and damage
- Lifted, cracked, or missing pieces
- Moss and debris buildup
What gets looked at
Flashings
Where the roof meets a wall or a chimney. A common place for leaks to start, so each visible flashing gets a close look.
- Step, headwall, and sidewall flashing
- Chimney and apron flashing
- Kickout flashing at wall ends
- Visible gaps and sealant condition
What gets looked at
Chimney Crown & Cap
The exterior of the chimney, viewed from the roof or the drone. The inside of the flue is outside the scope of a home inspection.
- Crown cracks and deterioration
- Rain cap present or missing
- Visible masonry and mortar condition
- Spark arrestor where present
What gets looked at
Ventilation
Checked from the roof, then again from the attic side where it’s accessible.
- Ridge, soffit, and gable vents
- Visible blockage at intake or exhaust
- Attic staining, frost, or condensation
- Bath and kitchen fan terminations
What gets looked at
Penetrations
Anything that passes through the roof is a seal that has to hold. Vent boots crack in the sun long before the shingles around them wear out.
- Plumbing vent boots
- Furnace and water heater vents
- Satellite and solar mounts
- Skylights where present
What gets looked at
Valleys
Two roof planes drain through one channel here, so debris and wear tend to show up early.
- Open, closed, or woven valley type
- Debris and moss buildup
- Visible wear and leak signs
What gets looked at
Gutters & Downspouts
Whether water is being carried off the roof and away from the house.
- Slope, attachment, and debris
- Visible leaks and rust
- Downspout discharge and splash blocks
- Drip edge at the eaves
What gets looked at
Fascia, Soffit & Trim
The roof edge is where rot and animal entry tend to show up first.
- Visible rot and peeling paint
- Soffit vents open and screened
- Rodent or bird entry points
A home inspection is a visual look at the accessible parts of the roof on the day of the inspection, under Oregon and Washington Standards of Practice. It isn’t a warranty against future leaks.
Real Inspection Photos
Roof Findings From Recent Inspections
Real photos from Russ's roof sections. Each finding in your report gets photos and a plain-English note like these.
-
Worn mortar joints and a mossy crown on a brick chimney. Gaps in the mortar can let water into the chimney structure. What a deteriorating chimney crown means -
Moss along the lower roof edge under trees. Cleaning it off helps the shingles last and lets the roof be checked for hidden damage. How serious roof moss is in Portland -
No rake edge flashing at the side of the roof. Without it, wind-driven rain can get under the shingles and into the trim. Why inspectors flag missing drip edge -
Granule loss like this is a sign of aging shingles. It leaves the asphalt exposed to UV and can shorten the roof's remaining life. What to look for on a roof -
Worn chimney flashing is a common leak point. Water that gets past it can reach the roof deck and attic, so a roofer should repair it. What inspectors check on a chimney -
When vent flashing isn't layered correctly with the shingles, water can run underneath. Over time that can rot the roof deck or cause a leak inside. Common roof flashing problems
A judgment call, made on every roof.
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.
This is the federal credential required to operate a drone for any commercial purpose, including a paid home inspection. I'm certified and current. The drone carries a 4K high-resolution camera that captures detail from a safe distance, close enough to see a cracked vent boot, a popped nail, or a worn flashing edge. Every relevant image goes into your report alongside the rest of the roof documentation.
Conditions where I may use the drone
None of these are automatic rules. They're conditions I weigh on site, every roof, every time. Sometimes a steep roof is still walkable. Sometimes a low-slope roof isn't. After 3,000+ inspections, the call gets easier to make.
Steep pitch
The steeper it gets, the harder the call. Around 8/12 and up I'm usually leaning toward the drone, but dry conditions and the right surface can change that.
Ice or heavy wet moss
Slick conditions raise the risk of slipping and of damaging the shingles. Wet alone is usually fine. Heavy wet moss or ice may tip the call to flying it instead.
Fragile materials
Tile, slate, and aged wood shake can crack underfoot. On those roofs I'll often fly to avoid causing damage, but condition and pitch factor in too.
Multi-story with limited access
When ladder access to the roof edge isn't safe or available, the drone gets a close look from the air.
What I see on Portland metro roofs.
The Pacific Northwest climate is hard on roofs. Wet winters, mossy trees, freeze-thaw cycles, and long stretches of overcast all leave their mark. These are the findings I document most often.
Moss and lichen growth
Heavy moss lifts shingles, traps moisture against the deck, and shortens roof life dramatically. Read more on roof moss.
Missing or damaged drip edge
Older Portland homes were often built without drip edge. Water sneaks behind fascia and into the soffit. More on drip edge.
Aged composition shingles
20- to 25-year shingles past their service life are common. Granule loss, curling, and exposed nails are all flagged with photos.
Failed chimney flashing
Step and counter flashing at the chimney is one of the most common leak points. I check it on every roof, walked or droned.
Cracked plumbing vent boots
The rubber gaskets around plumbing vents dry out and split after a decade or so. Easy fix, but easy to miss from the ground.
Rodent and bird entry points
Lifted ridge caps, gaps at fascia, and damaged gable vents are entry points. More on rodent damage at the roofline.
My roof inspection vs. a typical one.
This isn't every inspector. Plenty do good work. But this is what's typical across the Portland metro, and it's worth knowing what you're paying for.
| Roof Inspection Method | Trusted Home Inspections | Typical Portland-area Inspector |
|---|---|---|
| Walks the roof when safe | ✓Yes, 80 - 90% of roofs walked | Often just a ladder at the eave |
| Uses a drone when walking isn't safe | ✓Yes, included | Sometimes, often extra cost |
| FAA Part 107 licensed to fly | ✓Yes, current Part 107 certificate | Worth asking before you book |
| Photos of every roof finding in the report | ✓Yes, plus video where helpful | Limited, often none |
| "Roof not inspected due to height/pitch" disclaimer | ✓Rare, drone reaches what walking can't safely | ✕Common |
| Attic-side roof check (decking, leaks, framing) | ✓Yes, every inspection | Sometimes |
What roof findings look like in your report.
Photos, location, and what to do about it.
Every roof finding in your report includes a close-up photo, a clear description in plain language, the location on the roof, and a severity rating so you know how urgent it is. Where it adds clarity, I include short video clips.
You can share the report directly with your roofer or contractor for an estimate, with no back-and-forth and no "well, what did the inspector actually mean?" Reports are delivered through Spectora, and you get a delivery window when you book.
If you have questions after you receive the report, call or text. Unlimited follow-up is part of the service.
Roof inspection questions, answered.
Yes, whenever it is safe to do so. Roughly 80 to 90 percent of the roofs in the Portland metro can be safely walked, and that is what I do. Walking is the only way to spot soft decking, lifted shingles, failing flashings, and damaged penetrations up close. When a roof is too steep, too wet, too fragile, or too tall to walk safely, I use my FAA Part 107 licensed drone.
Many will only look from a ladder at the eave, from the ground with binoculars, or with a drone they may not be licensed to fly. It is faster and less physical. The trade-off is that small but expensive defects, cracked vent boots, lifted step flashing, hail bruising, are easy to miss from a distance. I walk roofs whenever it is safe because that is where the most valuable findings are.
Yes. I hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, the federal credential required to fly a drone for any commercial purpose, including paid home inspections. Flying one on a paid inspection without that certificate violates FAA regulations. If another inspector tells you they'll fly your roof, asking whether they hold Part 107 is a fair question.
It's a judgment call I make on site. Steep pitches, ice, heavy wet moss, fragile materials like tile, slate, or aged wood shake, and multi-story homes with limited ladder access all push me toward the drone, but none of them automatically. A steep roof in dry conditions may still be walkable. A low-slope roof with the wrong surface may not be. After 3,000+ inspections, the call gets easier to make. Either way, the drone captures high-resolution images of the roof surfaces, flashings, valleys, ridges, and chimneys, and the photos go straight into your report.
I inspect the roof covering, flashings at walls and chimneys, valleys, plumbing and furnace vent boots, ridge and soffit ventilation, gutters and downspouts, drip edge, fascia and visible roof framing from the attic side. I document the apparent age and condition of the covering, note any active leaks or stains in the attic, and photograph every significant finding. It's a visual assessment of the roof's condition, not a roof certification or a guarantee of how long the roof will last. See the FAQ page for more.
No. A full roof inspection, walked or droned, is included in every standard home inspection at no extra cost. So is the drone work when it is needed. See full pricing at trustedhome.org/pricing.
Moss is one of the most common issues in Portland metro homes because of our wet climate and tree cover. Heavy moss lifts shingles, holds moisture against the deck, and shortens roof life. I document moss coverage in the report and note whether it's cosmetic or already damaging the roofing material.
Yes, almost certainly. I serve the Portland metro and SW Washington, with no travel fee within 40 miles of Oregon City, covering all of Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties in Oregon, plus Clark County, Washington. Oregon City is home base.
Get a roof inspection done carefully.
Walked when safe. Droned when not. Photos in your report either way. Schedule online any day of the week, or call and we'll talk through your inspection.