“He found a tiny patch from years back (barely bigger than a dinner plate) and started grilling me like I’d hidden a crime scene up there.”
That sounds all too familiar. Last year, the inspector zeroed in on a spot where I’d replaced a few shingles with recycled ones—he acted like I’d committed some kind of roofing felony. Still, I get it; they’re just doing their job. I’ve noticed since switching to a green roof system, they actually seemed more curious than critical. Maybe it’s just luck, but the eco-friendly angle seemed to soften them up a bit. Either way, keeping those receipts is clutch.
Funny, my experience was almost the opposite. After I swapped to a “cool roof” membrane, the inspector seemed extra nitpicky—measuring seams, double-checking the flashing, the works. Maybe it just depends on who you get that day.
—wish I’d gotten that guy!“they actually seemed more curious than critical”
That’s classic—sometimes I wonder if inspectors just get bored and decide to go full Sherlock Holmes on a “cool roof.” I’ve seen it both ways: one guy barely glanced at the membrane, another brought out a ruler and a flashlight like he was prepping for surgery. Honestly, it’s a toss-up. If your seams are tight and flashing’s solid, you’re good, but yeah, some inspectors just love to nitpick. At least you got the insurance discount in the end... not everyone’s that lucky.
I’m honestly still shocked insurance even gave me a break for my roof—usually they just find a reason to hike the premium. Mine’s a 15-year-old asphalt shingle, nothing fancy, but I did have to patch a couple spots last year after a hailstorm. Inspector barely looked at it, just checked the paperwork and snapped a few pics. Did anyone actually see their rates go up after an inspection? I keep hearing horror stories about “hidden damage” getting flagged and costing more in the long run.
That’s wild, I had almost the opposite happen. My roof’s about 18 years old—also asphalt shingles, nothing fancy—and when I had it inspected last fall, the guy spent maybe ten minutes up there. He pointed out some “soft spots” I hadn’t even noticed, and next thing I know, my premium jumped by $200. Still not sure if it was legit or just them covering their bases. Makes me wonder if it’s just luck of the draw with which inspector you get...
