Spring Roof Checklist After a Chicagoland Winter: 8 Things to Inspect Before Summer Storms (2026)
Chicagoland winters wear roofs harder than most regions. An 8-point spring inspection — from the gutters to the attic — catches winter damage before summer storms make it worse.
Why spring is the right time to inspect
Chicagoland winters do specific kinds of damage to roofs: freeze-thaw cycles work water into small cracks and expand it into bigger ones; ice dams form along eaves and back water under the bottom course of shingles; snow load stresses the structure and reveals weaknesses in fasteners and flashings; and the cycle repeats from December through March. By April, the damage from those four months is visible — and by July it'll be worse if a summer storm exploits it. Spring is the inspection window. The right time is now.
1. Walk the gutters
Stand on the ground and look up at the gutters. Are they straight or sagging? Are downspouts properly connected to the gutter line? Are there any obvious holes or rust spots? Inside the gutter, after the leaves are out: are you seeing a heavy accumulation of asphalt granules from the shingles? Granule loss spikes in spring as winter freeze-thaw cycles strip them off. A light dusting is normal; a quarter-inch layer of granule grit at the bottom of the gutter says your shingles are nearing the end of their useful life. Clean the gutters either way.
2. Look at the ridge line
Stand a hundred feet from the house and look at the ridge — the highest horizontal line of the roof. Is it straight? Any sag in the middle? Any sections where ridge cap shingles look askew or missing? Snow load can stress ridge boards, and ice damming at the eaves can shift weight unevenly. A sagging ridge after a hard winter is a structural problem that needs evaluation, not a roof problem. Missing ridge caps are a roof problem — addressable, but should be addressed before summer storms.
3. Check the flashings
From the ground or with binoculars: look at the metal flashings where the roof meets walls, chimneys, and skylights. Is the metal lifted, bent, or showing rust streaks down adjacent shingles? Flashings are where most roof leaks originate, and freeze-thaw cycles work hard on the sealant and metal joints. Flashings around chimneys are especially vulnerable in Chicagoland because chimneys move slightly with temperature changes and the flashing has to flex with them. A flashing repair is usually a few hundred dollars; a delayed flashing repair becomes a ceiling stain in a few months and a major repair after that.
4. Look for missing or curled shingles
Walk the perimeter of the house and look up at each slope. Any obviously missing shingles, especially along the bottom courses? Any shingles that look curled upward at the edges or cupped downward in the middle? Curling is age-related and accelerates with winter exposure — once shingles curl, they lose their seal and the wind catches them. The first summer thunderstorm after a winter of curling will tear cupped shingles off. If you see curling across more than a small area, get a written inspection.
5. Inspect the attic
From inside, with a flashlight, walk the attic. Look at the underside of the roof deck — any new water staining, any darker patches that suggest moisture? Look at the insulation — any compressed or dark spots that suggest water has saturated and dried? Look at the rafters at the eaves — any visible rot or staining near where ice dams would have formed? Check the soffit vents from the inside — are they clear or are they blocked by insulation, attic stored items, or bird nests? Attic ventilation is what prevents ice dams from forming in the first place. Blocked intake is the single most common cause of ice damming in Chicagoland.
6. Check the chimney crown and crown coating
Stand back and look at the top of your chimney. Is the masonry crown (the concrete or mortar cap on the very top) cracked, spalling, or showing missing chunks? Chimney crowns in Chicagoland take a beating from freeze-thaw cycles. A failed crown lets water down into the chimney structure, eventually into the flue, and from there into the ceilings. Crown repairs are relatively inexpensive ($500-$1,500); a failed crown left for years becomes a $5,000-$10,000 chimney rebuild. Spring is when crown damage shows up.
7. Look for ice dam damage at the eaves
Walk the perimeter and look at the bottom 18 inches of each slope. Any shingles lifted from below or showing white salt-like residue (efflorescence from water that froze and thawed)? Any obvious bowing or staining along the fascia board? Ice dams form when warm attic air melts snow on the upper roof, the meltwater runs down to the cold eaves and refreezes there, and successive meltwater backs up behind the dam and gets under the shingles. The damage is at the bottom edge — the most water-sensitive part of any roof. Visible ice dam damage means insufficient attic insulation or ventilation; just patching the visible damage without addressing the root cause means it'll happen again next winter.
8. Check trees and overhanging branches
Walk the property and look for any tree branches that overhang the roof. Branches that touched the roof through the winter likely abraded shingles every windy day. Branches that didn't quite touch but were close should be cut back — they'll touch after the next round of growth, and they'll hit the roof during the next storm. Branches over the roof are a leading cause of accelerated shingle wear and storm-related shingle damage. A $300 tree trimming session is the cheapest roof preservation work most Chicagoland homeowners can do.
When to call for a professional inspection
If the 8-point check above raises any concerns — granule accumulation, sagging ridge, lifted flashings, curled or missing shingles, attic staining, chimney crown damage, ice dam evidence, or tree contact — get a written professional inspection. Spring is the optimal time because contractors are scheduling steady but aren't yet overwhelmed by summer storm response. The inspection itself produces a written report with photos, a verdict, and a list of any repairs in priority order. That report becomes your roadmap for what needs doing before summer storm season.
Talk to us
Leaders Roofing offers spring inspections across Cook, DuPage, and Lake Counties. As part of our 30-year anniversary, free post-storm inspections are available through July 31, 2026 — same documentation, same written report, same honest verdict, no charge. Call (708) 847-5418. License #104.010248. Same Mount Prospect address since 1996.