- Honestly, I’m not sold on those sensors yet.
- Seen a couple installed on jobs, but the owners still had to do manual checks after storms.
- They can give false alarms if the underlayment shifts or gets a bit damp from condensation, not just leaks.
- Plus, batteries and wiring under a roof just seem like more stuff to go wrong over time.
- I’d rather trust my eyes and a good flashlight, at least for now... maybe the tech will get better.
Plus, batteries and wiring under a roof just seem like more stuff to go wrong over time.
That’s exactly what I keep thinking about. I’m new to all this, but the idea of having to climb up there to change a battery or fix a wire just sounds like another headache waiting to happen. My place has a metal roof, and after last spring’s hail, I was already stressed enough checking for dents and leaks the old-fashioned way.
I did look into those sensors when we moved in—seemed cool at first, but then I read about false alarms from condensation and started wondering if it’d just make me more paranoid. Maybe if you’ve got a huge house or can’t get up there easily, they’re worth it? For now, I’m sticking with regular checks after storms. A flashlight and some patience seem less likely to fail me.
If the tech gets better (and cheaper), maybe I’ll reconsider. But right now, it feels like one more thing to worry about instead of peace of mind.
I get the hesitation, but honestly, crawling around up there with a flashlight every time it hails sounds like a workout I didn’t sign up for. Wouldn’t a sensor save you from all those ladder climbs? I mean, yeah, tech can be glitchy, but so can my memory—last time I forgot to check after a storm, I found a leak two weeks later... Not saying sensors are perfect, but sometimes “old-fashioned” just means more sore muscles.
Not saying sensors are perfect, but sometimes “old-fashioned” just means more sore muscles.
I hear you on the sore muscles—my knees still remember the time I tried to “old-fashioned” my way up a slick roof after a hailstorm. But here’s the thing: I’ve seen those sensors throw a fit over a squirrel scampering across the roof, or worse, go silent when a golf ball-sized hailstone actually dents the metal. Tech is great until it isn’t, and then you’re back on the ladder anyway, cursing both your memory and your Wi-Fi.
Honestly, I’ve started doing a hybrid thing. Quick visual check from the ground with binoculars (less climbing, more coffee), and then if something looks off, I’ll haul myself up there. Sensors are handy, but I still trust my own eyes more than a blinking light—at least for now. Maybe I’m just stubborn, but I’d rather deal with a little soreness than a surprise waterfall in the living room.
I get the temptation to just trust your own eyes—honestly, half the calls I get are because a sensor either missed damage or flagged something that turned out to be a branch shadow. But I’m curious, for those who’ve tried both: have you noticed certain brands of sensors being more reliable, or is it just luck of the draw? Also, does anyone actually maintain their sensors regularly, or do most folks just set them and forget them until something goes wrong? I keep seeing roofs with sensors caked in pollen or bird droppings... makes me wonder if that’s part of the problem.
