Do you ever wonder if they’re just finding stuff to pad the bill, though? I mean, last time mine pointed out “granule loss” and I had to Google what that even meant.
I get what you mean—sometimes it feels like they’re speaking a different language just to justify the invoice. But honestly, after I ignored “minor granule loss” and ended up with a patch of bare shingles a year later, I started paying more attention. It’s annoying, but I’d rather deal with a small repair now than a full tear-off down the road.
I used to think the same thing—like, are they just making up stuff to tack on extra charges? But after working a few jobs, I started noticing how even small stuff like granule loss can turn into a headache. One time, we did a patch job on a strip mall roof where the owner ignored “minor” issues for years. By the time we got called in, water had already seeped through and trashed some ceiling tiles inside. That ended up costing way more than if they’d just fixed it early.
I get why people are skeptical, though. Some contractors definitely over-explain or use jargon. But honestly, most of the time when you see granule loss, it’s not just cosmetic—it means the shingles are wearing out and won’t last much longer, especially with all the freeze-thaw cycles we get around here. I’d rather deal with a couple hundred bucks now than a few grand later. Still, I always double-check what someone’s pointing out before agreeing to anything. Not every “urgent” repair is actually urgent, you know?
- Gotta say, I’m not always convinced that *every* patch of granule loss is a red flag.
- You mentioned:
most of the time when you see granule loss, it’s not just cosmetic—it means the shingles are wearing out and won’t last much longer
- In my experience, sometimes it’s just normal aging or even from someone walking on the roof too much. I’ve seen plenty of roofs with some bare spots that still held up fine for years—especially if they’re not in a spot that gets hammered by sun or water runoff.
- Agree about freeze-thaw being rough, but I’ve also seen folks get talked into full tear-offs when a targeted repair would’ve done the trick.
- Not saying ignore stuff, but I’d rather see a few pics and maybe a moisture reading before calling something urgent.
- Quick checks twice a year (spring/fall) seem to catch most issues before they turn into ceiling tile disasters anyway.
- Maybe I’m just skeptical after seeing so many “urgent” recommendations that didn’t really pan out...
Just my two cents. Every roof tells its own story, I guess.
- Seen the same thing—sometimes those “urgent” calls are just overkill. Had a spot last year where the granules were gone, but the shingle underneath was still solid as a rock (guess the birds liked that spot).
- I’m all for the twice-a-year checkups too, but curious—has anyone here actually used one of those infrared cameras for moisture? Worth the hassle or just another gadget gathering dust?
- Also, anyone else ever have tenants call in a panic about “bald spots” after a windy day? Always makes me laugh... roofs have bad hair days too.
Those “bald spots” after a windstorm crack me up too—tenants always think the whole roof’s about to cave in. I’ve had that with gravel roofs; folks see a bit of grit in the gutters and go straight to DEFCON 1. As for infrared cameras, I was skeptical at first, but honestly, they can pick up hidden leaks you’d never spot by eye. Downside is, they’re only as good as the person using them—seen plenty of false alarms when someone didn’t know what they were looking at. Still, beats tearing open ceilings just to check for moisture.
