I get the appeal of all the tech, but honestly, I still wonder if we’re leaning too hard on gadgets sometimes. I’ve seen thermal scans flag “cold spots” that turned out to be just extra insulation or a stray draft, not a leak. Do you ever worry about chasing false alarms? The last inspection I managed, the report looked like something out of NASA, but half the stuff was just normal wear and tear.
I’m not knocking the tools—infrared and moisture meters do catch things our eyes miss—but I still think there’s a lot to be said for climbing up there and poking around old-school style. Especially with these multi-layer roofs where the readings get weird. Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes I trust my gut (and a good flashlight) more than another color-coded PDF. Anyone else feel like we’re getting buried in data that isn’t always actionable?
That’s hitting the nail on the head. The tech is cool—no doubt about it—but I’ve definitely had my share of “false positives” from thermal cameras. One time, I was called out to check a flat roof on a commercial building after a scan showed a big cold patch. The owner was convinced it was a massive leak and already bracing for a full tear-off. Got up there, poked around, and it turned out to be a spot where the insulation was just doubled up from a previous repair. No moisture, no damage—just a weird reading.
I get why people love the gadgets. They make you feel like you’re seeing through walls, and sometimes you really do catch stuff you’d never notice otherwise. But I’ve also had situations where I spent more time explaining what the colors meant on a PDF than actually talking about what needed fixing. Especially with older roofs—like those 3-tab shingles that have been patched over a few times—the readings can get all kinds of confusing.
I still trust my flashlight and a good old tap test more than anything else, especially when it comes to soft spots or hidden rot. There’s something about actually feeling the roof under your feet that no gadget can replace. Maybe I’m just old school, but I’d rather crawl around up there and get dirty than rely on a fancy report that might not tell the whole story.
Not saying the tools are useless—they’re great for double-checking your gut feeling or showing a skeptical homeowner what you’re seeing. But yeah, sometimes it feels like we’re drowning in data that doesn’t always mean much in the real world. At the end of the day, nothing beats experience and a little common sense.
Man, those PDFs with the rainbow blobs always crack me up. I had one last year that looked like a toddler’s finger painting—except it was supposed to be my apartment building’s roof. The report flagged a “hot spot” right over the HVAC unit. Turns out, surprise, the sun was just beating down on the metal cover. I’m all for gadgets, but nothing beats actually poking around up there and seeing what’s what. Sometimes I think these reports are just a fancy way to make us second-guess our own eyeballs...
- Got one of those rainbow PDFs after my first home inspection. Looked like a weather map from a sci-fi movie—except it was just my 15-year-old asphalt shingle roof.
- The “hot spots” were all over the south-facing slope. Inspector flagged them as “potential moisture intrusion.” I checked it out myself—just afternoon sun, no soft spots, no leaks inside.
- I get the tech is supposed to help, but sometimes it feels like it’s just picking up normal stuff and making it look dramatic.
- Still, I did find one spot near the chimney that matched up with a weird blob on the report. Ended up being a cracked flashing I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
- Guess I’m a little torn. The gadgets are cool, but I trust my own eyes and a good ladder more than a rainbow PDF most days. Maybe both together is the way to go?
The gadgets are cool, but I trust my own eyes and a good ladder more than a rainbow PDF most days.
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve seen those rainbow PDFs catch stuff that would’ve flown right under my radar. Had a tenant complain about a “musty smell” last year—nothing visible, no leaks, but the thermal cam showed a cold patch behind the drywall. Turned out to be a slow drip from a pipe joint. Would’ve cost a fortune if we’d waited for stains or soft spots. I still poke around with a flashlight, but I’m not mad at a little sci-fi backup. Sometimes the tech’s just showing us what we can’t see, even if it does make the roof look like Jupiter.
