Summer roof maintenance in St. Louis, at a glance
The most useful summer roof check is a look at your attic on a hot afternoon, because trapped heat and moisture up there shorten shingle life more than most homeowners expect. After that, clean gutters, trimmed branches and a walk around the house after every big storm cover most of what a roof needs.
Check the attic on a hot day
Go up in the afternoon after the sun has been on the roof for a few hours. It will be hot, and that is normal. What you are looking for is heat with nowhere to go: still, stuffy air, a musty smell, or insulation pushed against the soffits so you cannot see any daylight at the eaves.
- Soffit vents blocked by insulation or paint
- Dark stains or mold on the underside of the roof deck
- Rusted nail tips poking through the deck
- Bathroom or dryer fans venting into the attic instead of outdoors
Any of these points to a ventilation problem. Our roof ventilation page explains how intake and exhaust should work together.
Storm season checks
Summer thunderstorms around St. Louis can bring straight-line winds and hail with little warning. After a storm passes, walk around the house and look for these signs from the ground.
- Shingles or pieces of shingle in the yard
- Dents in gutters, downspouts or metal vents
- Granules piling up at the bottom of downspouts
- Torn or lifted shingles along ridges and roof edges
Write down the date of the storm and take photos of anything you find on the ground. Insurers ask for the date of loss, and a record made the same week is easier to match to weather reports later.
Do not climb onto the roof to check. If you see any of these, call for a free inspection. Hail damage in particular is hard to see from the ground and easy to miss until it leaks.
Trees, gutters and shaded slopes
Trim branches
Keep limbs several feet back from the roof. Branches that rub wear through shingles, and summer storms bring weak limbs down.
Clean gutters
Seed pods and leaf debris clog gutters in summer. Overflowing gutters soak the fascia and can push water under the roof edge.
Watch shaded slopes
North-facing and heavily shaded slopes stay damp in humid weather. Moss and algae hold moisture against the shingles.
When to call a roofer instead
Homeowners can handle the ground-level checks. Leave anything that involves climbing onto the roof to a crew with fall protection. Call us if you find water stains on a ceiling, damage after a storm, or ventilation trouble in the attic. Inspections are free, and our phone is answered 24 hours a day at (314) 429-6000.
John Beal Roofing has worked on St. Louis roofs since 1947. We are a family-run, third-generation company, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor and BBB A+ rated.
Year-round roof care
Seasonal guides for St. Louis homeowners.
Common questions
Is it safe to put on a roof in summer heat?
Why is my upstairs so hot?
Should I pressure-wash algae streaks off my roof?
How often should a roof be inspected?
Can a summer storm damage a new roof?
Free summer roof inspection
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