I get what you’re saying about trusting your own eyes—nothing beats crawling around up there and poking at stuff. But I’ve actually had some luck with thermal imaging for those sneaky leaks, especially on flat roofs. It’s not perfect, but it’s caught a few wet spots I’d have missed otherwise. Drones are cool for the big picture, but sometimes you gotta mix old-school with new-school. And hey, at least the drone doesn’t complain about the ladder.
Drones are cool for the big picture, but sometimes you gotta mix old-school with new-school.
That’s a solid approach. I’ve found thermal imaging especially useful after heavy rains—sometimes you’ll spot a wet patch that hasn’t shown up inside yet. Still, I’m with you on not skipping the hands-on part. There’s just stuff you can’t see unless you’re right there, poking around flashing or checking seams by hand. Drones are great for coverage, but they don’t catch every little blister or soft spot. Mixing both really does cover your bases.
Drones are great for coverage, but they don’t catch every little blister or soft spot. Mixing both really does cover your bases.
Couldn’t agree more. I tried relying just on drone photos once after a hailstorm, and thought everything looked fine—until a couple months later when I found a soft spot near the vent flashing by accident. Ended up being a small leak that could’ve turned into a big headache if I hadn’t been up there poking around.
I get the appeal of all the new tech, but there’s just something about actually getting your hands (and sometimes knees) dirty that gives you peace of mind. Especially with older roofs—mine’s a low-slope membrane and it hides issues way too well.
Mixing both methods is definitely the way to go. It’s a bit more work, but catching stuff early saves so much hassle down the road.
Mixing both methods is definitely the way to go. It’s a bit more work, but catching stuff early saves so much hassle down the road.
That’s the truth—my wallet still remembers the year I skipped a hands-on check and paid for it later. Out of curiosity, how often do you all actually get up there? Once a year feels like a lot, but twice seems... excessive?
Once a year always felt about right to me, but I get why some folks do it twice. I guess it depends on your roof type and where you live. I’m in the Midwest, so we get a lot of freeze-thaw cycles and hail, which can mess things up fast. After a bad storm, I’ll usually do a quick walk-around just to check for obvious stuff—missing shingles, clogged drains, that sort of thing.
But honestly, twice a year seems like overkill unless you’ve got an older roof or a lot of trees dropping debris. My neighbor’s got a flat roof under some big maples, and he’s up there every few months clearing leaves. For me (pitched asphalt), once before winter is enough unless something looks off from the ground.
Curious if anyone’s insurance actually requires more frequent checks? Mine just wants proof of “regular maintenance,” whatever that means...