"Sometimes you gotta get up close, press around, and trust your gut if something feels off..."
Totally agree with this. Drones and ladder checks are great first steps, but nothing beats actually getting hands-on. Had a similar issue last spring—roof looked perfectly fine from below, shingles intact, drone shots clear. But when the contractor started pulling up a few shingles near the chimney, we found moisture had crept in and rotted a small area underneath. Luckily, we caught it early enough to avoid major repairs.
One other thing I've learned is to pay attention inside the attic too. Sometimes the roof itself doesn't show obvious signs, but you'll spot subtle clues like staining or mold growth inside. It's a good habit to do a quick attic check after heavy rains or storms... saved me more than once from bigger headaches down the road.
"One other thing I've learned is to pay attention inside the attic too. Sometimes the roof itself doesn't show obvious signs, but you'll spot subtle clues like staining or mold growth inside."
Good point about checking the attic—it's surprising how often issues hide right under our noses. Had a similar experience once where everything looked decent from the outside, but tenants started noticing a faint musty smell after heavy rain. Sure enough, when we poked around in the attic, there was some mold forming along one of the rafters. Nothing major yet, but definitely something that needed immediate attention.
I'm still skeptical about relying too heavily on drones though. They're handy for quick overviews and spotting obvious damage, sure, but subtle problems like loose flashing or early-stage rot are easy to miss from aerial photos alone. Hands-on inspections might be tedious, but there's no substitute for actually getting up there and feeling around.
Speaking of subtle signs... has anyone here dealt with ice dams? Had a property last winter with persistent ice build-up along the gutters. Roof looked good overall, insulation seemed fine too—but we kept getting leaks indoors whenever it thawed out. Turned out the ventilation was inadequate, causing uneven temperatures and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Took us forever to pinpoint that issue since everything else appeared perfectly normal.
Curious if others have run into sneaky roof issues triggered by ventilation or insulation rather than obvious external damage. Seems like those can be especially tricky to diagnose properly...
I've definitely run into that sneaky ventilation issue before. We had a situation last summer where the upstairs rooms were getting unbearably hot, even with decent insulation. At first, I thought it was just typical heat rising, but then I noticed some weird discoloration on the attic plywood sheathing. Turned out our ridge vent was partially blocked by debris and insulation that got shifted around somehow. Once we cleared it up and adjusted the insulation properly, temps improved noticeably inside.
"Roof looked good overall, insulation seemed fine too—but we kept getting leaks indoors whenever it thawed out."
Your ice dam story reminded me of a neighbor who battled similar leaks every winter. He tried everything from heated cables to extra insulation, but nothing worked until he finally added soffit vents for better airflow. Crazy how something as simple as ventilation can cause such headaches.
Have you checked if your soffit vents are clear? Sometimes paint or dirt buildup can block airflow without us even realizing...
Good call on checking soffit vents—I've seen so many overlooked issues there. Also, make sure your attic insulation isn't jammed right up against the eaves...that can choke airflow and cause moisture buildup when things thaw.
"Roof looked good overall, insulation seemed fine too—but we kept getting leaks indoors whenever it thawed out."
Exactly why proper venting matters more than most people realize.
You're spot on about insulation blocking airflow near the eaves. It's surprising how many times I've seen that issue causing mysterious leaks indoors. One quick way to check is to peek into your attic and see if there's at least a little clearance between insulation and roof sheathing at the edges. If it's packed tight, gently pull it back a bit...your roof will thank you later.
"Exactly why proper venting matters more than most people realize."
Yup, roofs can be sneaky like that—looking fine but secretly crying for help behind the scenes.
