If I spot anything weird (missing shingles, dents, leaks), I call in a pro for documentation.
That checklist idea is smart. I’ve been burned by the “no signature, no payout” rule before—had a water spot in the ceiling after a hailstorm, and even with photos, insurance just shrugged because I hadn’t had a pro look at it. Learned my lesson the hard way. Curious, though—do you get pros out for every little thing, or just when there’s obvious damage? Sometimes I feel like I’m calling folks out more than I need to, but then again, that paper trail really does matter...
I get what you mean about feeling like you’re over-calling. I used to think I was being paranoid, but after seeing how picky insurance can be, I started erring on the side of caution. That said, I don’t call a pro for every tiny thing—like a single lifted shingle after a windy day, I’ll just snap a pic and keep an eye on it. But if there’s anything that looks like it could turn into a claim (like hail dents or water spots), I’d rather have the documentation. It’s a pain sometimes, but having that paper trail saved me when my neighbor’s tree dropped a limb on my roof last year. Still, sometimes I wonder if I’m just making more work for myself...
Man, I totally get the “am I making more work for myself?” feeling. I’ve crawled up my own roof after a storm more times than I care to admit—usually with my phone in one hand and a half-broken flashlight in the other. Here’s what I tell people: if you see something weird, take a picture and make a note, but don’t sweat every little thing. A single shingle flapping around? As long as there’s no leak inside, just keep an eye on it. If it’s a patch of missing granules or something that looks like water damage, that’s when I’d say it’s worth having someone check it out.
Funny story—last year my brother-in-law called me in a panic because he saw “moss” on his roof. Turns out it was just a clump of grass from the neighbor kid’s soccer ball… not exactly an emergency call. Point is, sometimes we overthink it, but having some documentation never hurts, especially with how picky insurance can be these days. Just don’t let it eat up your weekends unless you really think there’s trouble brewing up there.
I hear you on the “don’t let it eat up your weekends” thing. I used to stress over every weird noise or drip—my wallet was sweating more than I was. Last winter, I climbed up there after a windstorm and found what looked like a shingle graveyard. Turns out, half of it was just old leaves and my neighbor’s frisbee. Now I just do a quick check after big storms and only call someone if water’s actually coming in. No sense paying for “peace of mind” if it’s just a few twigs.
No sense paying for “peace of mind” if it’s just a few twigs.
I get where you’re coming from—no one wants to spend their Saturday up on a ladder just to find a frisbee and some mulch. Still, I wonder if it’s different for folks with older roofs or, like, those weird flat ones? My place has a green roof (basically a garden on top), so I have to check after every heavy rain or windstorm. Once, I found mushrooms growing up there. Not the fun kind either.
Honestly, I used to ignore it unless water was pouring in, but then I had a slow leak that took forever to spot and cost me way more in repairs. Now I do a quick walk-around every couple months, just to catch stuff early. Maybe it’s overkill, but with all those plants up there, things can get funky fast.
Guess it depends on what kind of roof you’ve got and how much you trust your luck. Anyone else have to deal with random stuff growing where it shouldn’t?
