Funny, I’ve actually had better luck with thermal scans on steep-slope roofs than flat ones, at least around here. Maybe it’s just the way the sun hits them or how the attic vents line up, but I’ve caught a couple of slow leaks that way—stuff you’d never spot with just a flashlight and a ladder. That said, I totally get the false positives... chased a “hot spot” once that turned out to be a raccoon napping in the eaves.
chased a “hot spot” once that turned out to be a raccoon napping in the eaves.
That’s hilarious—reminds me of the time I thought I had a moisture issue, but it was just a squirrel nest tucked behind some insulation. I’ve actually had more luck with thermal scans on flat roofs, though. Maybe it’s our climate (lots of overcast days), but the readings seem less “noisy” than on my neighbor’s steep roof. Out of curiosity, are you scanning early morning or later in the day? I’ve noticed timing makes a big difference for me.
I’ve only done a couple of thermal scans, but timing really threw me off at first. The first time, I went out in the afternoon thinking the sun would help highlight any weird spots—ended up with a bunch of false positives from where the sun had just been beating down on one side. Next try, I did it early morning before the sun hit, and it was way easier to tell what was actually a problem versus just heat from the day before.
My roof’s got a pretty steep pitch and asphalt shingles, and I swear it’s like the heat just slides right off. My neighbor has a flat roof, and he gets much clearer images, probably because the heat sits there longer. I’m in the Midwest, so we get those cloudy, damp days too, but I still find early morning is best. Less “noise” from the sun, and you can spot cold spots from leaks or missing insulation way easier.
Funny how critters always seem to be the real culprits, though. I spent a whole weekend convinced I had a leak, only to find a possum had made itself at home in the attic.
Funny how critters always seem to be the real culprits, though. I spent a whole weekend convinced I had a leak, only to find a possum had made itself at home in the attic.
I feel this on a spiritual level. First time I saw weird heat blobs on my scan, I was convinced my insulation had just given up... turns out it was a squirrel nest right above my bedroom. Timing is wild too—my first scan was at noon and basically every south-facing shingle looked like it was melting. Early morning is definitely the move, but if you’re like me and not a morning person, coffee first or you’ll end up scanning your neighbor’s roof by accident.
Those heat scans can be so misleading, right? I’ve had a few where I was sure there was a moisture issue, but it ended up being raccoons just chilling in the insulation. Did you ever figure out how to keep the squirrels out after that? I’ve tried everything from wire mesh to peppermint oil, but they always seem to find a way back in... Also, totally agree on the timing—midday scans are basically useless in summer around here.
