Roof maintenance for Wrightsville Beach rentals and second homes

We do free roof inspections in Wrightsville Beach and across Brunswick and New Hanover counties, and every inspection comes with photos and notes. If you own a rental or second home on the island, call (910) 228-8034 or request a free roof inspection.

Short answer: check a rental or second-home roof at least twice a year, in spring and fall, and again after any hurricane or major storm. That's what the National Roofing Contractors Association recommends. Leave the up-close part to a roofer, and plan bigger work around guest bookings, inside the town's construction hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Why a beach rental needs a roof schedule

Census Bureau estimates for 2020-2024 count about 2,900 housing units in the Town of Wrightsville Beach. About 1,360 of them are vacant because they're used seasonally, for recreation or now and then. That's nearly half the homes on the island.

When nobody lives in a house full time, a small problem can sit for a while. Guests and cleaners come and go, but it's easy for no one to look at the roof. NRCA's point is that regular checks catch problems early, when they're easier to fix and before they spread.

A roof calendar for a Wrightsville Beach rental

• Spring, before the busy season. Look for winter wear before the calendar fills up.
• Fall, once hurricane season ends. The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30. A fall check can show what the summer and fall weather did.
• After any hurricane or major storm. NRCA suggests an extra inspection after severe weather. Our guide to checking a roof after a storm covers what you can safely look at from the ground.
• If NOAA's wetter-than-normal outlook holds. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center outlook, issued Oct. 15, 2026, puts the odds of above-normal precipitation for the Wrightsville Beach area this December through February at 60 to 70 percent. That's odds, not a promise, and NOAA updates it Nov. 19. It's one more reason to do the fall check.

What to look for, and what to leave to us

NRCA says a maintenance check on a steep-slope roof can usually be done from the ground or from a ladder at the roof edge. If you're not comfortable on a ladder, stay on the ground. Watch for:

• asphalt shingles that are curling or splitting, and tabs that are loose or missing
• cracked, broken or missing pieces on tile, slate, wood or metal shingle roofs
• leaves and other debris piled up on the roof, especially in valleys and near roof drains, where it holds water back

Salt air can add wear on flashing, fasteners and metal edges. Our Caswell Beach salt-air guide explains what we check on an oceanfront roof.

NRCA doesn't recommend that owners or property managers walk on a roof or make repairs unless they have the experience and equipment to do it safely. Please stay off the roof. That's what an inspection is for.

Give your cleaner or property manager one more job

You can't see the roof from home, but the people who turn the house over can help. Ask them to send you a photo when they see:

• a new stain or bubble on a ceiling, especially after rain
• shingles, trim or metal pieces in the yard after wind
• water anywhere it shouldn't be after a storm

Then you'll know when to call, instead of hearing about it from a guest.

Planning roof work around guests and town rules

Wrightsville Beach's posted construction hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Construction isn't allowed on Sundays, or on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Year's Day. With those rules in mind, plan repairs or a replacement around guest bookings.

The town's building permit fee schedule covers roofing work that needs a permit, and it adds a $10 NC Homeowners Recovery Fund fee to permits for single-family homes and duplexes. Whether a job needs a permit depends on the work, and we handle permits when they're required. Questions about a specific property can go to the town's Planning & Inspections Department.

NRCA also notes that most warranties require the roof to be properly maintained. Keep the photos and notes from each inspection with the house records.

More about the island is in the Wrightsville Beach section of our New Hanover County page, and you can read how our roof inspection works. If an inspection turns up wear, our guide to roof repair vs. replacement on the coast can help you weigh it.

About Vera's Roofing

• Family-owned and insured. We're a family-owned roofer serving Brunswick and New Hanover counties, and we carry workers' comp and general liability insurance.
• Warranty. We offer a one-year labor-and-materials warranty on installs plus manufacturer warranties.
• Permits and tarping. We handle permits when they're required, and we tarp roofs when a temporary cover is needed.
• Shingles and metal. We install CertainTeed and GAF 30-year shingles. For metal, we offer 5-V, Multi-Rib and standing seam, painted, 26-gauge minimum.
• FORTIFIED Roofer. We're a FORTIFIED Roofer, provider ID R012048.