I’ve seen a lot of those “sci-fi” reports lately—full of fancy diagrams and drone shots, but not much real info about the condition underneath. I’m always a bit skeptical if there’s no mention of moisture readings or thermal imaging, especially on older roofs. Just looking at shingles from the ground or even with a drone doesn’t tell you if there’s rot or trapped moisture in the decking.
Whenever I’m checking a roof, I’ll go step-by-step: visual inspection first, then walking the surface (if safe), and always checking suspect areas with a moisture meter. Sometimes I’ll use a thermal camera, but honestly, those can be hit or miss unless you know what you’re looking for—false positives happen if the attic’s hot or the sun’s been baking one side all day.
Out of curiosity, did your report flag any “areas of concern” or just give you a generic pass/fail? I’ve seen some that just list “no issues observed,” but then you pull up a shingle and find black mold underneath...
Just looking at shingles from the ground or even with a drone doesn’t tell you if there’s rot or trapped moisture in the decking.
Totally agree—those drone shots look cool, but they’re basically just fancy selfies for your roof. I’ve seen reports that skip the nitty gritty, too. Last year, I had a client with a “no issues” report, but when I poked around the valleys with a moisture meter, the readings were off the charts. Turns out, there was a slow leak right above the kitchen. Sometimes you gotta get your hands dirty (and your knees sore) to really know what’s going on up there.
Had a similar deal after a hailstorm last spring. Insurance sent a drone crew, and the report looked spotless. But when I pulled up a few shingles near the ridge, the decking was soft—almost spongy. Sometimes you just can’t beat actually being up there, tools in hand.
Those drone inspections are wild—super high-tech, but I’ve noticed they’re not great at catching stuff like spongy decking or hidden rot. I get why insurance companies love them, but honestly, you can’t really tell what’s going on under the shingles unless you’re up there poking around.
If you’re worried about soft spots, here’s what I’d do: carefully lift a few shingles in different areas (not just the ridge) and check the decking with a screwdriver or even your hand. If it feels bouncy or you see any discoloration, that’s usually a sign of water damage. Sometimes, the underlayment hides issues too, so peel it back if you can.
I’ve seen drone reports call a roof “perfect” when the plywood was basically mulch underneath. Not saying tech isn’t helpful, but nothing beats actually getting your hands dirty. Just be careful—walking on soft decking can get sketchy fast. If you find a lot of bad spots, it might be time to talk to the adjuster again, maybe push for a re-inspection with someone actually on the roof.
I hear you on the drone thing. My insurance sent one out last year after a hailstorm, and the report looked like it was written by a robot with a drone for a brain—said everything was “excellent,” but I knew for a fact we had some soggy plywood near the chimney. Ended up poking around myself (carefully, because I’m not trying to fall through) and found a spot that crunched like stale crackers. Tech is cool, but sometimes you just gotta trust your gut—and maybe your screwdriver.
