A closer look at the roof, from edge to attic
Roof Inspection in Wallington, NJ
Not sure whether that stain, that sag or last week's storm did any harm? A roof inspection in Wallington sends a roofer up to look at the shingles, flashing, gutters and attic side, and the findings come back in plain words.
Call (973) 791-8220 and ask for a time to have the roof checked.
Signs you may have spotted
- A heap of shingle grit in the gutters after a storm
- A shingle or two missing, and no one can say since when
- A stain that showed up once and then dried
- A newly bought house and no paperwork on the roof
- A roof that has never had a professional look at all
Jot these down first
What to jot down for a roof look
- The street address, and how many floors the building has.
- Any stain, with its location and the date you first saw it.
- The last storm that worried you.
- The roof's age, or the date you bought the house.
- A few photos taken from the street.
Walk away and get help if
- Wires hang low or lie near the house. Keep well away and let nobody inspect the roof first. Report them to 911 and to the utility (PSE&G: 1-800-436-7734).
- A ceiling bellies down and could drop. Get everyone out from the space beneath it, then dial 911.
- A fixture or outlet is dripping. Step into a dry room, leave the switch alone, and dial 911.
- A ladder on soft ground, or against an icy roof edge: skip it. If a fall happens, call 911.
Four things people ask
How often does a roof need a professional look?
The federal GSA's inspection guidance for flat roofs says twice a year and after storms, and Delaware's gutter fact sheet says to clear gutters about twice a year. Neither is a rule for a Wallington house, but both give a rhythm.
What can I check from the ground?
Binoculars along the ridge and edges, a flashlight at the attic hatch, and a look at the ceilings below. NIOSH reports that more than 100 people in the U.S. die each year, and thousands are hurt, in ladder falls.
What signals trouble in the roof deck?
The roofing manufacturers' association names rotted or warped wood and gaps wider than a quarter inch. Those show from underneath, in the attic, or once the old shingles are off.
Do Garfield, Passaic and Wood-Ridge homes get inspected too?
All four towns are covered. Read the notes for Garfield homes, Passaic homes or Wood-Ridge homes, then dial (973) 791-8220 with your address.
What usually sets it off
- Wind and limb strikes leave harm that hides from the ground
- Flashing that has pulled away is easy to miss from the lawn
- Clogged gutters and drains send water where it was never meant to go
- Slow leaks soak insulation long before a stain shows below
- Deck damage hides under the shingles until a roof is opened up
The one-to-ten gut check
Is a look urgent? Check the scale
8–10
a downed wire, a ceiling that bows or water at a light. Step away, and make the 911 or PSE&G call. The inspection comes after.
4–7
a storm just passed and you can see missing shingles or bent metal, or a stain is new. Dial (973) 791-8220 and ask when someone could come take a look.
1–3
nothing wrong that you can see, and it has been a couple of years. Pick a calm week and dial (973) 791-8220 to ask what a first look involves.
Around Wallington
Garfield's Census numbers lean old. The 2024 estimate counts 3,544 of 11,846 homes as dating from 1939 or before, give or take 405 on that figure, and a roof inspection is how an owner learns what the roof itself is up to.
Passaic counts 12,671 of 21,693 homes as built in 1939 or earlier, margin 656, which is more than half. The Census Bureau flags that bracket as open-ended, so the median year is not a precise number there.
What the calendar does to it
Why spring and fall suit a look
At Teterboro Airport, NOAA's 1991-2020 normals count 2.0 April days and 0.6 October days with a low at or below freezing, against 23.6 in January. Between hard freezes, a roofer can get a clear view of what winter did or what summer left behind.
The station is a single airport, so your own street's weather can run warmer or colder.
Where the rules live
Does a look turn into paperwork?
If an inspection leads to work, roof covering that is repaired or replaced falls on the state's ordinary-maintenance list, provided the house stands apart from its neighbors and shelters no more than two households. Anything beyond that, and any attached house, is a question for the building office. The four offices are on the town-by-town list.
Roof jobs sorted by sight
Jot these down first
Before you call (973) 791-8220, note the street address, where water showed up and the roof's age if known. If you rent, talk to the owner first. Towns: Wallington, Garfield, Passaic, Wood-Ridge.