I’ve had clients panic over “anomalies” that turned out to be nothing but a sun-baked rafter or a squirrel nest.
That’s the thing—sometimes all that tech just adds drama. I had a report flag “moisture” that was literally a cold soda can left in the attic. But I do like drones for those crazy steep roofs. Has anyone actually found a legit leak with thermal, or is it mostly false alarms?
Thermal’s a mixed bag for me. I’ve caught a couple of real leaks—usually after a heavy rain, when there’s still enough temp difference for the camera to pick it up. But honestly, I get more false positives than actual issues. Stuff like insulation gaps or even a stray cat can throw things off. Drones, though, have saved my knees more than once on those 12/12 pitches.
Drones, though, have saved my knees more than once on those 12/12 pitches.
- That “stray cat” bit made me laugh—my neighbor’s tabby triggered a thermal alert last week.
- I’m with you on the false positives. Got a weird heat signature once, turned out to be my attic fan running overtime.
- Drones are cool, but I’m still getting used to trusting what I see on the screen vs. what’s actually up there.
- My PDF had so many colors I felt like I was reading a weather map, not a roof report.
- Anyone else feel like these reports need a “what’s actually a problem” legend?
I get what you’re saying about the PDFs looking like a meteorologist’s dream, but I actually don’t mind all that color coding—at least not when it’s done right. I’d rather have too much info than not enough, especially when you’re dealing with steep slopes or spots you can’t see from a ladder. Still, it does make me wonder if we’re relying too much on the tech and not enough on just getting up there and poking around when possible.
I’ve had a couple of those “false alarms” too—one time the drone thermal flagged a hot spot that turned out to be a pile of leaves baking in the sun. That said, it also caught a leak under a solar panel that I would’ve missed otherwise. Guess I’m still on the fence about how much to trust what’s on the screen versus what I can see and touch. Anyone else feel like you end up double-checking everything anyway?
As for the legend idea, I’m with you to an extent, but sometimes I think the reports are meant for us to interpret, not just hand off to a homeowner like a coloring book. Maybe the real issue is how these reports get explained. I’ve had clients totally freak out over a red mark that was just a vent pipe, not a problem at all. Maybe we need a better way to translate all this techy stuff into plain English before it gets handed off.
All in all, I’m glad drones are around—my knees aren’t getting any younger—but I still trust my own eyes and hands more than any rainbow-colored PDF. Maybe it’s just a matter of balance, or maybe I’m just old-school.
Those drone reports can be a real mixed bag, can’t they? I’ve had similar moments where the tech catches something I’d never spot from the ground, but also times where I’m chasing down “issues” that turn out to be nothing but shadows or sunbaked debris. It’s almost like you need to treat the PDFs as a starting point, not the final word.
What I’ve started doing is a quick three-step process: First, I review the report and flag anything unusual (especially the wild colors). Next, I try to verify those spots in person if it’s safe—sometimes that means binoculars or a camera on a pole if I can’t get up there. Finally, when I talk to clients, I walk them through the report and explain what’s actually a concern versus what’s just the software being overly cautious.
I totally agree about the need for better explanations. Folks see red and think disaster, even if it’s just a vent or flashing. Maybe we need a “tech-to-human” glossary or something. Still, I’d rather have too much data than miss something important... but yeah, nothing beats a good old-fashioned look and feel.
