Yeah, I see a lot of folks surprised the inspector doesn’t spend all their time on the shingles. Truth is, most leaks I find are from bad flashing or clogged gutters—not the shingles themselves. Edges and valleys are where water sneaks in first, especially up here with freeze/thaw cycles. The downspouts and eaves get hammered in Indiana winters, so it makes sense your guy focused there.
On the metal roof debate—price is definitely a shocker at first glance, but I’ve seen people regret skipping it when they end up replacing asphalt two or three times over 40 years. Still, if you’re not planning to stay put, it’s a tough call.
About ventilation and insulation—yeah, that’s a big one most folks overlook. Poor attic airflow can cook your shingles from underneath or cause ice dams. Insurance companies love seeing proper venting and enough insulation because it means less risk of claims down the road. Did your inspector actually measure your vent openings or just eyeball things? Sometimes they just take a quick look and move on, but that can miss hidden problems.
Truth is, most leaks I find are from bad flashing or clogged gutters—not the shingles themselves.
Couldn’t agree more—people always blame the shingles first, but it’s those sneaky valleys and flashing that cause headaches. I’ve seen brand new roofs leak just because someone skipped a step with the flashing. Metal roofs are pricey, but man, they’re like armor if you plan to stick around. Ventilation’s another thing—sometimes folks think more insulation is always better, but if your attic can’t breathe, it’s just asking for trouble.
Funny thing, I thought my shingles were toast after a hailstorm, but turns out the real culprit was a gutter packed tighter than my garage. Cleaned it out, patched a bit of flashing, and—bam—no more leaks. Insurance guy barely glanced at the shingles.
- Seen this a lot after storms—folks focus on shingles, but
is classic.the real culprit was a gutter packed tighter than my garage
- Gutters and flashing cause more leaks than most people think. Shingles get blamed since they're visible, but water sneaks in from all sorts of places.
- Insurance adjusters usually check for obvious damage, not the little stuff. Sometimes that's good, sometimes things get missed...
- Honestly, regular gutter cleaning saves more roofs (and wallets) than folks realize.
- Not surprised your bill dropped after the inspection—small fixes make a big difference, even if it feels like luck half the time.
That’s a great outcome. I’ve had a similar experience—my premium dropped after I got the gutters cleaned and replaced some cracked flashing. It’s funny, because like you said, most people just look at the shingles and assume that’s where all the trouble starts. But as someone pointed out above:
Gutters and flashing cause more leaks than most people think. Shingles get blamed since they're visible, but water sneaks in from all sorts of places.
Couldn’t agree more. I used to ignore the gutters until a small leak turned into a much bigger headache (and bill) last spring. After that, I started budgeting for regular cleanings and minor repairs, even if it felt like overkill at first. Turns out, those “little” fixes really do add up—both in peace of mind and savings.
I will say, though, sometimes it feels like insurance adjusters are just looking for an excuse to keep rates high... but in my case, the inspection actually worked out in my favor for once. Maybe luck, maybe not? Either way, keeping up with maintenance seems to pay off more often than not.
