The difference between a roof that reaches its full service life and one that fails five years early is almost never the shingle brand. It's drainage, ventilation, and whether small problems got caught. None of that requires getting on the roof.

Spring — before and during hail season

Central Texas hail season generally runs heaviest in spring. Go into it with the roof in good shape and the documentation ready.

• Clear gutters and downspouts, and confirm water discharges away from the foundation
• Trim branches back from the roof surface — six feet of clearance is a reasonable target
• Photograph each roof slope from the ground while it's undamaged; this baseline is invaluable for a later claim
• Check attic for staining or daylight after the first heavy rains
• Schedule a professional inspection if the roof is over ten years old

Summer — heat management

Sustained heat is as hard on a Texas roof as any storm, and attic ventilation is what determines how hard.

• Verify soffit and ridge vents are unobstructed — blown insulation frequently blocks soffit intake
• Check attic temperature; an attic dramatically hotter than outside indicates poor ventilation, which cooks shingles from below
• Look for curling or blistering shingles, both heat-stress signals
• Inspect pipe boots — the rubber collars around plumbing vents crack under UV and are among the most common leak sources on Central Texas roofs

Fall — drainage prep

• Clean gutters again after leaf drop
• Check valleys for accumulated debris — valleys carry the most water on any roof
• Inspect and reseal flashing where needed
• Confirm the attic is dry going into the wetter months

Winter — freeze readiness

Central Texas freezes are infrequent but consequential, as recent years have made clear.

• Ensure gutters and downspouts are clear so meltwater drains rather than backing up
• Confirm attic insulation is adequate and evenly distributed
• Check that attic ventilation stays open — moisture trapped in a cold attic condenses and mimics a roof leak
• Address any known leak before a freeze, since water intrusion plus freezing accelerates damage

After every significant storm

• Walk the property and look for shingles or granules in the yard
• Check gutters, vents, and the A/C condenser for hail dents
• Check the attic within a day or two — early staining is easier to trace
• Photograph anything you find, with the date

What's worth paying a professional for

Annual inspection, flashing and boot replacement, ventilation correction, and any repair that would require walking the roof. Everything else on this list is genuinely homeowner-level work done from the ground.

See the inspection checklist for what a professional assessment covers, or the leak guide if you've already found water.