Ever try using a drone for those checks? My knees are jealous of your binoculars...
I’ve thought about drones, but honestly, I’m a little skeptical. I get the appeal—no ladders, no sore knees, and you can see the whole roof in one go. But unless you’re really good at flying those things, I feel like you end up with a bunch of blurry photos and still have to get up there to check the spots you can’t see well. Maybe I’m just old school, but I trust my own eyes more than a shaky camera.
That said, I totally agree about the wind. Last year, after one of those “hundred-year” storms, I did my usual walk-around and found a whole section of ridge cap peeled back. Wouldn’t have spotted it from the ground, and if I’d waited until the next rain, I’d have been dealing with leaks inside. The thing is, I’ve got a couple buildings with those low-slope roofs, and you’d think they’d be less of a problem, but debris just piles up and clogs the drains. It’s always something.
I’m not convinced you need to do a full inspection after every single storm, but I’ve learned the hard way that skipping them for too long is just asking for trouble. I used to think once a year was enough—then I got hit with a surprise leak right over a tenant’s kitchen. That was a fun call.
As for drones, maybe I’ll give it another shot if my knees get any worse. Until then, I’ll stick with binoculars and a cautious climb when I have to. Just wish the insurance companies would give us a break for being proactive, but that’s a whole other rant...
I hear you on the drone thing—I've tried it a couple times, and honestly, unless you shell out for a really good one (and practice a bit), you end up with a lot of useless footage. I still do most of my checks the old-fashioned way, but I will say, drones are handy for those spots you just can't reach safely. For me, it's more of a backup tool than a replacement.
On the inspection frequency, I used to be in the once-a-year camp too, but after a hailstorm took out half the gutters on one building, I started doing a quick check after any big weather event. Doesn't have to be a full crawl—just a walk-around and a peek at the drains and flashing. Especially with flat roofs, like you mentioned, debris is a pain. I keep a cheap leaf blower in the truck just for clearing drains.
Insurance breaks would be nice, but I've never seen one that actually rewards regular maintenance. Maybe someday... For now, I just figure it's less hassle to catch problems early than deal with angry tenants or water damage down the line.
I’m with you on the insurance thing—feels like they’re quick to raise rates after a claim, but never offer a discount for actually keeping up with stuff. I’ve always wondered if anyone’s ever gotten a break for sending in maintenance logs or photos. As for drones, I tried borrowing my neighbor’s once and just ended up with a bunch of blurry shots of my own confused face. Still trust my ladder more, even if my knees don’t agree. Do you think the leaf blower trick works for pine needles? Those things seem to glue themselves down...
Pine needles are basically nature’s Velcro—leaf blower barely budges them on my place. I’ve had better luck with a soft roof rake, but it’s a workout. As for insurance, I once sent in a spreadsheet of maintenance dates... got a polite “thanks” and nothing else.
Pine needles are basically nature’s Velcro—leaf blower barely budges them on my place. I’ve had better luck with a soft roof rake, but it’s a workout.
Honestly, I get where you're coming from. Pine needles are the worst—worse than leaves, worse than those little seed pods that clog up the gutters. The “soft roof rake” move is legit, but man, you’re not kidding about the workout. I’ve tried the whole leaf blower trick too and it’s just... sad. They stick like they’re glued on.
On the insurance thing, I’m skeptical about how much they care about all our detailed spreadsheets and maintenance logs. It’s like, you do everything by the book, and then when you actually need them? “Thanks for your documentation.” That’s it. Maybe it helps in some rare cases, but I wouldn’t count on it making a difference for most claims.
As for how often to service stuff—honestly, a lot of it’s common sense and depends where you live. If you’re surrounded by pines, you probably need to clear that roof every couple weeks during fall or after big storms. Otherwise, stuff piles up fast and starts trapping moisture. But yeah, nobody’s out there with a calendar and a checklist unless they’re getting paid for it...
