InterNACHI Roof Inspector study plan
InterNACHI Roof Inspector · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Roofing materials and components
Map the full roof assembly from deck to ridge and name the function of each layer, so you can explain why underlayment, flashing, and ventilation are not interchangeable parts
Categorize the major steep-slope coverings (asphalt shingle, clay and concrete tile, wood shake and shingle, metal, slate, synthetic) by weight, minimum slope, and fastening method
Identify the components of an asphalt shingle roof - starter course, field shingles, hip and ridge caps, drip edge, valley treatment, pipe boots - and state where each belongs
Build a one-page labeled diagram of a gable roof assembly from memory and check it against your notes
Your checkpoint
A hand-drawn, fully labeled roof assembly diagram (deck, underlayment, flashing, covering, ventilation) with a one-line function note for every layer
Roofing materials and components
Distinguish low-slope membrane systems (TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen, built-up) and state the slope ranges where each is appropriate
Explain the role of roof ventilation - intake versus exhaust, net free vent area, and balanced ventilation - and calculate the required vent area for a sample attic
Describe flashing types by location: step, counter, apron, kick-out, valley, and chimney flashing, and where each fails first
Compare steep-slope underlayment types (asphalt felt, synthetic, self-adhering) and match each to climate and slope conditions
Your checkpoint
A comparison table of at least six covering systems and four flashing types with slope limits, typical defects, and inspection cues
Roof inspection safety and access
Assemble and verify a personal fall-protection kit - harness, lanyard, anchor point, rope and rope grab - and demonstrate a proper fit check
Select the correct access method (ladder, roof ladder, or aerial) for three sample roof scenarios and justify each choice
Set up a ladder at the correct angle with proper tie-off and three-point contact, and identify the top five ladder hazards on a job site
Draft a pre-inspection hazard checklist covering weather, roof pitch, surface condition, electrical lines, and roof-edge conditions
Your checkpoint
A written pre-inspection safety checklist you can run through on every job, plus a documented fit-and-anchor check of your fall-protection gear
Roof inspection safety and access & Roof defects and performance issues
Practice safe walk-and-probe technique on a low-slope and a steep-slope roof, using a moisture meter and probe to detect soft decking
Identify the conditions that justify declining to walk a roof and describe how to inspect it from the ground, ladder, or with binoculars instead
Document the most common shingle defects - curling, clawing, cupping, blistering, granule loss, and fishmouthing - and the cause of each
Recognize flashing failures, ponding, and drainage problems as performance issues rather than cosmetic ones
Your checkpoint
A field log of at least ten observed or simulated roof conditions, each with a photo note, the defect name, and the probable cause
Roof defects and performance issues
Trace water intrusion from a reported interior stain back to the most likely roof defect, distinguishing flashing, penetration, and ventilation causes
Diagnose premature shingle failure by separating installation error from material defect from weather or ventilation deficiency
Explain the mechanisms behind ice damming, attic condensation, and ridge vent blockage, and the inspection evidence each leaves
Evaluate roof age and remaining service life using covering type, exposure, and observed condition, and state your confidence level
Your checkpoint
Three written diagnostic case studies - one flashing leak, one ventilation problem, one premature failure - each with evidence, cause, and recommended action
Roof reporting and standards of practice
Write inspection findings in the required report format: condition, location, implication, and recommended action for each item
Apply the standards-of-practice boundaries - what is and is not required to be inspected - and correctly use the limitation and exclusion language
Distinguish a recommendation for repair from a recommendation for further evaluation by a specialist, and explain the liability difference
Draft clear, non-alarmist narrative comments that avoid estimating cost or warranting future performance
Your checkpoint
A complete mock roof inspection report with at least fifteen findings written to the standard format, including limitations and exclusions
Roof reporting and standards of practice & Roofing materials and components
Review and revise your mock report against the standards of practice, correcting any finding that overstates, understates, or omits a required disclosure
Explain the inspector's duty regarding conflict of interest, confidentiality, and the distinction between inspection and repair work
Revisit roofing materials and components by writing a plain-language client explanation of the roof assembly and its maintenance needs
Identify the most commonly missed items in roof reports and add them to your own template
Your checkpoint
A revised final mock report plus a one-page client-facing roof maintenance summary written in plain language
Roofing materials and components & Roof inspection safety and access & Roof defects and performance issues & Roof reporting and standards of practice
Take a full-length timed practice exam and score each domain separately to find weak areas
Re-study your two weakest domains using your own notes and diagrams rather than new material
Rehearse the safety and standards-of-practice content that is most often tested, including access limitations and reporting requirements
Simulate a complete inspection from arrival to report delivery within a realistic time limit
Your checkpoint
A scored practice exam with a written remediation plan for any domain below 80 percent, plus one full timed inspection simulation
Milestones
Week 2: You can name the layers of a roof assembly, the slope limits of at least six covering systems, and the location and failure mode of four flashing types without notes
Week 4: You can set up fall protection and a ladder correctly, state three conditions that justify declining to walk a roof, and name the cause of six common shingle defects
Week 6: You can write a finding in condition-location-implication-recommendation format and correctly state one standard-of-practice limitation
Week 8: You score at least 80 percent overall and at least 75 percent in every domain on a timed practice exam, and you can complete a simulated inspection and report within the time limit