nothing beats actually looking for yourself.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve seen sensors miss stuff that’s obvious once you’re up there—like a popped fastener or a seam starting to lift. Those “Bigfoot” pics might be blurry, but they’re proof you checked, and that goes a long way with insurance. Quarterly is ideal, but after storms is when most issues show up anyway. You’re on the right track.
Quarterly checks sound great, but my wallet starts sweating just thinking about paying someone that often. I usually end up doing a “binocular inspection” from the backyard after storms—probably not OSHA-approved, but it’s saved me from a few surprise leaks. My roof’s just basic asphalt shingles, and after last year’s hail, I realized how easy it is to miss stuff unless you’re right up there.
Has anyone tried those drone flyovers? I keep seeing ads for them, but I’m not sure if they’re worth the money or just another gadget I’ll regret buying. Also, does insurance actually care about those blurry photos, or do they want a pro’s report? Just trying to figure out if I can get away with my DIY approach without getting burned later...
I usually end up doing a “binocular inspection” from the backyard after storms—probably not OSHA-approved, but it’s saved me from a few surprise leaks.
That’s basically my routine too. I’ve got a pair of old birdwatching binoculars that have seen more shingles than sparrows at this point. I get the appeal of drones, but honestly, unless you’re comfortable flying them and know what damage looks like from above, it might just be another tech headache. My neighbor tried one after a windstorm—he got some cool aerial shots, but when he sent them to his insurance company, they just asked for a roofer’s report anyway.
From what I’ve seen, insurance folks want something official if you’re making a claim. DIY photos are fine for your own records or to spot obvious issues, but if you need to prove hail damage or something tricky, they’ll probably want a pro’s opinion. If you’re trying to save cash, maybe stick with your binoculars and only call in the pros after big storms or if you spot something weird. That’s kept my costs down so far... though I do wonder if I’m missing stuff sometimes.
DIY photos are fine for your own records or to spot obvious issues, but if you need to prove hail damage or something tricky, they’ll probably want a pro’s opinion.
That lines up with what I’ve seen—insurance adjusters almost always want a licensed roofer’s report, especially for anything beyond missing shingles. Out of curiosity, how old is everyone’s roof here? I find once you hit that 15-20 year mark, even small storms can start causing problems you might not spot from the ground. Anyone ever caught something early just by doing these quick checks?
I find once you hit that 15-20 year mark, even small storms can start causing problems you might not spot from the ground.
That’s been my experience too. One of our buildings has a 17-year-old flat roof—looked fine from below, but a quick walk up there after a hailstorm last year showed some soft spots and tiny splits I’d never have seen otherwise. Glad I caught it early, since the roofer said it could’ve led to leaks in the next big rain. I still take photos for my own records, but yeah, the insurance folks always want a pro’s report.