I get where you’re coming from, but I’d push back a bit on relying only on “sight, touch, even smell” before calling a pro.
In my experience, by the time you see stains or feel dampness, the problem’s already escalated. I’ve had thermal scans catch slow leaks under old tar paper roofs—nothing visible yet, but the scan picked up a cold spot that turned out to be a tiny drip. Sometimes, that early warning is worth the hassle, especially if you’ve got tenants or insurance involved. Not perfect, but I wouldn’t skip the scans entirely.“Only bring in a contractor if you’ve got something concrete, like actual moisture or visible damage.”
I get the value of thermal scans, especially for older roofs or if you’re managing rentals. But I’ve also seen a few false alarms—cold spots that turned out to be nothing more than insulation gaps or even just airflow quirks. For my own place (asphalt shingles, Midwest winters), I usually start with a moisture meter and visual checks before calling in the big guns. Not saying scans aren’t useful, but sometimes they can lead to chasing ghosts and extra costs. Just depends on how risk-averse you are, I guess.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’d argue thermal scans are actually more reliable than most folks give them credit for—if you know how to interpret the data. Sure, you’ll get false positives if you just look at the colors and call it a day. But paired with a solid understanding of building science, those “ghosts” usually turn out to be legit clues. I’ve caught leaks that were totally invisible to the naked eye, even after poking around with a moisture meter. Midwest winters especially can mask issues until it’s too late. For me, it’s about layering tools—thermal first, then confirm with moisture readings and visual checks. Chasing a few dead ends is better than missing a slow leak that rots your decking over time.
I get the appeal of thermal scans, but I’ve seen plenty of “hot spots” that turned out to be nothing more than insulation gaps or sun-warmed patches. That said, layering tools like you mentioned—thermal, moisture meter, actual eyeballs—does catch stuff you’d miss otherwise.
Can’t argue with that. Midwest winters are brutal on roofs, and sometimes you only get one shot to spot a problem before it gets expensive.Chasing a few dead ends is better than missing a slow leak that rots your decking over time.
I hear you on the false alarms with thermal scans—my inspection report had a couple of “hot spots” that were just where the sun hit the roof at an angle. Still, I’d rather chase down a few of those than miss something serious. Midwest winters are no joke; ice dams alone make me nervous. I’m learning that combining tech with old-fashioned looking and poking around really is the best bet. Anyone else notice how moisture meters sometimes give weird readings if it’s humid out? That threw me for a loop.