A comprehensive inspection should check the entire roof, with particular attention to flashings, perimeters, and any areas where past problems have occurred. Inspections should be done using a checklist to remind the inspector what to check on the roof. On a roof, movement can occur where HVAC units, pipes, and drains come through. Since movement can ultimately cause problems for the roofing system, the flashings need to checked closely. A roof's perimeters is where movement in the walls can cause tearing or disbonding of the flashings.
Loose flashings are more prone to damage, especially when temperatures are below freezing.
If the repair did not correct the original problem, the patch could come loose and the building will continue to be plagued by that problem area. The most common person assigned to do roof inspections is the facility's custodian. This is fine as long as that individual has a working knowledge of roofing systems. Today there are a number of professional roofing consultants who can, for a fee, perform roof inspections. The service can be augmented by the use of non-destructive analysis to determine if there is any water present in the existing roof.