I've looked into drone inspections before, but honestly, for most residential roofs, it seems like more trouble than it's worth. My neighbor tried one last year—spent half the afternoon just figuring out how to fly it properly, and even then, the images weren't clear enough to spot smaller issues. Unless you've got a huge property or really tricky rooflines, a ladder and a handheld thermal camera usually do the job just fine.
Yeah, drones can be a bit overrated for typical residential checks. I've tried them myself, and honestly, by the time you get comfortable flying and sorting through blurry images, you could've already climbed up and done a thorough inspection. One thing I'd add though—thermal cameras are great, but don't underestimate a simple moisture meter. Sometimes thermal won't catch everything, especially if conditions aren't ideal. Combining both usually gives me the clearest picture of what's going on up there.
Totally agree with you on drones. Last summer I spent almost an hour messing around trying to get decent images, only to end up climbing the ladder anyway. Learned more in 10 mins up there than from all those blurry drone shots. And yeah, moisture meters are underrated—saved me once when thermal missed a leak hidden behind insulation. Good call on combining methods, that's definitely the way to go.
Drones can be handy, but honestly, nothing beats getting up there yourself. Here's what I usually do: first, quick drone flyover just to spot any obvious trouble areas—missing shingles, debris buildup, stuff like that. Then I climb up and physically check those spots. Run your hand along the shingles to feel for looseness or brittleness, and check flashing closely around vents and chimneys—those are leak magnets. Moisture meters are great too; if you suspect something's off, probe around attic insulation near suspicious areas. Thermal imaging is helpful but not foolproof—like you said, it can miss hidden leaks behind insulation layers.
One thing I'd add: always document your findings clearly with photos from multiple angles. Even if everything looks good now, having a baseline helps down the road if issues pop up later. Learned that lesson the hard way once when a client questioned my inspection months afterward...having clear pics saved me a headache.
Good tips here, especially about documenting with photos. I learned the hard way too—had a small leak turn into a big headache because I didn't have clear before-and-after shots to show the insurance folks. Now I snap pics religiously.
One thing I'd add is checking gutters and downspouts closely. A lot of roof issues start from water backing up because of clogged gutters or poorly placed downspouts. I usually run a hose through them to make sure they're draining properly, and if there's any pooling or slow drainage, that's a red flag. Also, don't overlook moss or algae buildup—might seem harmless at first, but it can trap moisture and speed up shingle deterioration.
Curious if anyone's tried zinc strips or other preventive measures to keep moss growth under control...I've heard mixed reviews but haven't tested them myself yet.
