Binoculars are your best friend for roof inspection.

Yes. You can do a thorough roof inspection without ever leaving the ground — and honestly, it’s smarter that way. Winter damage isn’t worth a broken leg.

Walk around your house with a good pair of binoculars (8x or 10x). Look for missing or lifted shingles, cracked flashing, and sagging spots. Focus on valleys, edges, and around chimneys — that’s where leaks start.

Check the gutters for granules from asphalt shingles. That’s a sign the roof is shedding its coating. Also, look for ice dams hanging off the eaves or water stains on the exterior walls.

Inside, go to the attic. Any daylight peeking through the roof deck, dark stains, or damp insulation means you’ve got a problem. Water follows gravity, so leaks often show up far from the actual hole.

Don’t have binoculars? A pole with a phone camera works in a pinch. Or, if you can swing the rental, a drone with a decent camera will give you a full view without risking your neck.

Call a pro if you see anything suspicious. You don’t need to be up there to know it’s time for a repair.