What Our Free 21-Point Roof Inspection Actually Covers (Fort Wayne)

"Free roof inspection" is one of the most abused phrases in this industry. In Fort Wayne, especially after a spring hail event, it usually means a 10-minute walkaround followed by a high-pressure sales pitch to sign a contract that afternoon. That is not what we do. Our free 21-point inspection is a real, documented, 45-to-60-minute assessment of your roof, attic, and ventilation system — whether you ever hire us or not.

We have completed more than 500 roofs across Northeast Indiana and maintain a 4.9-star rating across 75 Google reviews. A big part of that reputation is built on inspections where we told the homeowner their roof was fine and to call us in three or four years. This article walks you through exactly what our 21-point inspection covers, what we deliberately do not do during it, and what you can expect to receive afterward.

Why We Offer It Free

We offer the inspection free because we would rather build a relationship with a Fort Wayne homeowner over ten years than close a single transaction today. Most of our best customers came to us through an inspection where we told them they did not need a new roof yet. When the time did come — whether that was after a hail event in Huntertown or a leak in New Haven — we were the first call.

The second reason is practical: our region gets beat up. Between freeze-thaw cycles, the April-through-July storm season, straight-line winds off the plains, and the occasional hail event, Fort Wayne roofs take more abuse than roofs in milder climates. Getting eyes on your roof every couple of years is genuinely useful. Charging for that doesn't match our values as a veteran-owned company, and it doesn't serve our community well.

What Makes a "Real" Inspection vs. a Sales Pitch

A real inspection takes time. Anyone spending less than 30 minutes on your roof is either missing major items or running a bait-and-switch. A real inspection is also documented — with photos, measurements, and a written report you can keep. If a "free inspection" ends with a verbal pitch and a contract on the kitchen table but no written report of what was actually found, that was a sales call, not an inspection.

The third tell is honesty about scope. A real inspection separates cosmetic issues from functional ones, distinguishes between damage that is covered by insurance and damage that is not, and clearly states when a repair is the right call versus a replacement. If every inspection a company does "coincidentally" concludes with a full replacement recommendation, that is a pattern, not a coincidence. Read our guide to hiring a roofing contractor for more on what to watch for.

The Exterior Inspection (Points 1–8)

The exterior portion is where we physically walk the roof whenever it is safe to do so. We do not rely on ground-level observation or drone footage alone — those miss soft spots, hairline cracks, and granule loss that can only be identified by touch and close inspection. For steep pitches or unsafe conditions, we supplement with drone imagery and ladder-based inspection.

Here are the first eight points we assess on the exterior of every Fort Wayne roof we inspect:

1. Shingle condition & age estimation — we assess curling, cupping, clawing, missing tabs, and the general wear pattern to estimate remaining life.
2. Granule loss assessment — we check shingle surfaces, valleys, and gutters for granule deposits that indicate UV degradation.
3. Hail damage identification — circular bruising, exposed mat, and broken seals are documented per slope.
4. Wind damage check — we look for lifted shingles, broken sealant bonds, and creased tabs across all wind-exposed slopes.
5. Flashing inspection — step flashing, counter flashing, chimney flashing, and valley metal are all checked for rust, lift, or separation.
6. Chimney & skylight seals — common leak sources in Fort Wayne homes; we check the full perimeter and any pipe penetrations.
7. Ridge cap condition — ridge caps weather faster than field shingles and often fail years before the rest of the roof.
8. Gutter & downspout integrity — alignment, pitch, debris, and granule deposits are assessed alongside the roof.

Interior & Attic Inspection (Points 9–14)

The attic tells you the truth. A roof can look acceptable from the outside while hiding active leaks, rot, or ventilation failure directly underneath. If a contractor never asks to see your attic, that is a significant red flag. We spend 10 to 15 minutes inside the attic on every inspection, and we bring a flashlight and moisture meter.

Here are the six interior and attic points we document:

9. Decking condition from below — we look for sagging, discoloration, daylight, and active soft spots.
10. Moisture staining — brown rings and dark streaks indicate current or historic leak paths.
11. Active leak detection — moisture meter readings on suspect areas confirm whether a leak is still active.
12. Mold / mildew growth — common in Fort Wayne attics with ventilation problems; we note type, location, and extent.
13. Insulation condition & depth — matted or moisture-damaged insulation is itself a diagnostic clue.
14. Framing & rafter integrity — we look for cracks, splits, and evidence of past overload (ice dam damage, sustained moisture exposure).

Ventilation Inspection (Points 15–18)

Ventilation failures cause roughly a third of the premature roof failures we see in Fort Wayne. A roof without adequate intake and exhaust ventilation cooks itself from the inside in summer and ice-dams itself in winter. You can replace the shingles, but if you don't fix the ventilation, the new roof ages just as fast as the old one. We check ventilation on every inspection, not just when we suspect a problem.

Points 15 through 18 cover the full ventilation system:

15. Soffit intake vents — we check that they exist, are not painted or insulated shut, and are appropriately sized.
16. Ridge vent continuity — ridge vents should run the full length of the peak; partial coverage is a common Fort Wayne install defect.
17. Bathroom & kitchen exhaust termination — many older Fort Wayne homes still terminate these into the attic instead of outside, which is a moisture disaster.
18. Attic airflow & balance — a balanced ventilation system has roughly equal intake (low) and exhaust (high); we measure and document.

Storm & Damage Documentation (Points 19–21)

The last three points are where we generate the documentation you may need for an insurance claim. If our inspection uncovers storm damage, we create the evidence package you'll want in hand before calling your carrier. Insurance adjusters respond much better to a detailed, professional damage report than to a homeowner describing it over the phone.

The final three points:

19. Photographic documentation per slope — every slope is photographed with damage circled and dated.
20. Hail strike density count — for hail claims, insurance carriers want strikes-per-100-square-feet; we count and document.
21. Date-of-loss correlation — we cross-reference visible damage against the last major Fort Wayne storm date so the claim timeline is defensible.

What We Deliberately Do Not Do

Here is what you will not experience during a Big Dog Roofing inspection: no pressure to sign anything on the spot, no scare tactics about imaginary damage, no "today-only" discounts, no asking you to sign an Assignment of Benefits form, and no upsell pitch on a roof that is still healthy. If your roof has five or ten good years left in it, we will tell you that and leave. We will also tell you what preventive maintenance to do in the meantime.

This matters more than ever right now because out-of-state storm chasers flood Fort Wayne after every major hail event, and they are very good at making people feel like they need to sign immediately. A legitimate contractor should make you feel the opposite — like you have all the time in the world to review the report, get a second opinion, and make the right decision for your home.

What You Get Afterward

At the end of the inspection you receive four things: a written report you can keep, a photo set covering every slope and every issue we found, a plain-English repair-versus-replace recommendation, and — if storm damage is present — an insurance claim documentation package you can hand to your carrier. You also get our direct phone number if anything comes up later.

If repair is the right call, we'll quote it honestly. If replacement is the right call, we'll quote that too, and you can compare against any other estimates you have in hand. If neither is needed, we'll tell you that and schedule a follow-up inspection in two or three years. The roof inspection checklist we leave behind also gives you things you can check yourself between our visits.

How Long It Takes & What to Expect on Inspection Day

Plan on 45 to 60 minutes for a standard Fort Wayne home, or closer to 90 minutes on a larger or more complex roof. We arrive on time in a clearly marked Big Dog Roofing vehicle, introduce ourselves, explain the process, and then get to work. You don't need to do anything to prepare — we bring our own ladder, safety equipment, moisture meter, and camera.

We recommend (but don't require) that you be home so we can walk you through what we find in real time. Many homeowners find that the attic portion in particular is much more useful when they can see firsthand what we're describing. If you can't be present, we will still complete the full inspection, email the written report with photos, and schedule a follow-up call to review every finding.

Schedule Your Free 21-Point Inspection

If you've noticed any of the common signs of roof trouble, or if you just want peace of mind before the next big Fort Wayne storm, get on our schedule. We inspect across Fort Wayne, New Haven, Huntertown, Roanoke, Leo-Cedarville, Grabill, Auburn, Columbia City, Decatur, Bluffton, Ossian, Angola, and throughout Northeast Indiana.

Call 260.999.0347, book online, or visit our free roof inspection page to schedule. Big Dog Roofing is veteran-owned, GAF-certified, and backs every replacement with a 15-year craftsmanship warranty plus a lifetime GAF manufacturer warranty. No subcontractors — in-house crews only.

Frequently Asked Questions