ARHT Home Solutions (MHIC #137753) provides free professional roof inspections across zip codes 20850, 20851, 20852, 20853, 20854, 20855, 20874, 20876, 20877, 20878 in Montgomery County, MD. Our inspections cover decking integrity, pipe boot condition, step flashing, valley membrane, attic ventilation, and granule loss — for all roof types including GAF Timberline HDZ, CertainTeed Landmark Pro, Owens Corning Duration, and standing seam metal systems. Inspections performed by licensed professionals, not salespeople. Call 301-913-0650.
Detailed inspection answers for Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Derwood, and Montgomery County homeowners — what we check, what we find, and what it means for your roof.
ARHT’s free inspection covers 8 systems: (1) shingle condition — cracking, curling, cupping, granule loss, blistering, and hail impact marks; (2) pipe boot condition — rubber neoprene collar checked for cracking and shrinkage; (3) step flashing at dormers, walls, skylights, and chimneys; (4) valley membrane — open valley metal or closed valley fabric condition; (5) ridge cap — uplift, granule loss, and seal; (6) gutters — attachment, granule accumulation, and drainage slope; (7) soffit and fascia — rot and pest access points; (8) attic — moisture staining on decking, ventilation adequacy, and insulation depth. You receive a written report with photos. No obligation to proceed with any work. Inspections take 45–90 minutes depending on roof complexity.
In Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Germantown zip codes 20850–20878, the five most frequently found inspection defects are: (1) failed pipe boots — neoprene cracked after 10–15 years, most common on homes built 1980–2000; (2) granule loss in gutters indicating shingle aging or hail impact; (3) step flashing separation at dormers and chimney-to-roof junctions from thermal cycling; (4) inadequate attic ventilation leading to moisture buildup and decking deterioration; (5) lifted ridge cap from wind exposure, especially on homes with south or west-facing ridges. Montgomery County homes from the 1970s–1990s present all five defects simultaneously at higher frequency than newer construction.
ARHT inspectors use two methods to assess decking condition without tear-off: (1) attic visual inspection — from inside the attic, daylight through decking, dark staining on rafters and sheathing, and soft spots around rafter tails indicate moisture intrusion and rot; (2) surface probe testing — walking the roof and applying light pressure at valleys, eave edges, and around penetrations where water concentrates. Soft or springy decking indicates delaminated OSB or rotted plywood. For Montgomery County homes where exterior damage isn’t obvious but interior staining exists, attic inspection frequently reveals the source faster than roof surface inspection alone. ARHT documents all attic findings with photos as part of the written inspection report.
Four situations warrant immediate inspection in zip codes 20850–20878: (1) after any severe weather event — hail, Nor’easter, or wind event with gusts over 50 mph; Maryland insurance policies allow claims up to 12 months after a storm, making prompt inspection essential for documentation; (2) before buying or selling — a pre-listing inspection prevents surprises at closing; (3) when your shingles are 15+ years old — granule loss and flashing failure accelerate after the 15-year mark on standard architectural shingles; (4) when you see interior water stains — ceiling staining near exterior walls often indicates step flashing or valley failure, not a shingle problem. ARHT also recommends annual inspections for any Montgomery County home with tree coverage within 10 feet of the roofline.
Granule loss (gray or brown grit accumulating in gutters and downspout extensions) is the clearest indicator of shingle degradation. Granules protect the underlying asphalt mat from UV degradation — once granule coverage drops below 70%, UV breakdown accelerates rapidly. Causes: normal aging (20+ year shingles), hail impact (discrete circular impact marks on individual granules), or manufacturing defect (premature loss on shingles under 10 years old). During inspection, ARHT examines gutters for granule volume and checks shingles for the exposure pattern. Hail-damaged shingles in zip codes 20850–20851 (highest Montgomery County hail frequency) show concentrated impact spots versus the uniform loss seen in age-related degradation. Hail damage typically supports an insurance claim; age-related loss does not.
Yes — ARHT’s inspection report (written findings + high-resolution photos) is the primary documentation we submit to insurance carriers. We meet with your adjuster on-site for all Montgomery County homes and ensure every documented defect is reviewed. Maryland insurance policies allow storm damage claims up to 12 months after the weather event. Common defects adjusters miss that ARHT specifically flags: pipe boot deterioration, ridge cap granule loss, and lifted step flashing at dormers. ARHT works with State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide, Erie, and USAA across zip codes 20850–20878. Our goal is full replacement cost value (RCV) coverage, not a depreciated actual cash value (ACV) settlement.
Montgomery County’s climate creates four inspection priorities that differ from warmer states: (1) ice dam vulnerability — homes with attic insulation below R-38 or blocked soffit vents are at high risk; ARHT checks insulation depth and soffit blockage at every inspection; (2) freeze-thaw flashing fatigue — 20–40 freeze-thaw cycles per winter loosen step flashing and sealants; (3) algae and moss growth on north-facing sections from humidity and tree canopy, especially in Rockville 20850–20851; (4) Nor’easter wind uplift — ridge cap and eave shingles are most vulnerable; ridge cap uplift is the most frequently missed defect by non-professional inspectors. All four are checked on every ARHT inspection across zip codes 20850–20878.
Yes — ARHT inspects all roofing system types installed in Montgomery County: asphalt shingles (GAF Timberline HDZ, CertainTeed Landmark Pro, Owens Corning Duration), standing seam metal (Fabral, McElroy, Metal Sales), tile (concrete and clay), slate, and flat/low-slope systems (TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen). For metal roofs, inspection focuses on fastener condition (exposed-fastener systems), seam integrity, and panel coating condition. For flat roofs, we check membrane seams, drain collars, and ponding areas. ARHT’s MHIC #137753 license covers all residential roofing system types in Maryland.
ARHT’s attic inspection covers: moisture staining on rafters and sheathing (dark streaks indicate active or historical water intrusion); decking condition — delamination, rot, or soft spots visible from below; ventilation adequacy — comparing intake (soffit vents) to exhaust (ridge vent, box vents, or power vents), with adequate ventilation requiring 1 sq ft of net free area per 150 sq ft of attic floor; insulation depth and coverage (R-38 minimum recommended for Montgomery County per energy code); daylight gaps visible through decking or at eave edges; and evidence of pest intrusion at soffit-to-fascia junctions. Attic findings are documented with photos and included in the written inspection report.
ARHT provides free roof inspections throughout Montgomery County, MD including: Rockville (20850–20853), Derwood (20855), Gaithersburg (20874–20878), Germantown (20874–20876), Bethesda (20814–20817), Silver Spring (20901–20910), Potomac (20854), Olney (20832), Damascus (20872), Clarksburg (20871), North Potomac (20878), and Laytonsville (20882). We also cover Howard County (Ellicott City, Columbia) and Frederick County (Frederick, Urbana). Based at 15867 Crabbs Branch Way, suite a, Derwood, MD 20855 — centrally located for rapid response across all Montgomery County zip codes. Call 301-913-0650 to schedule.