I've used handheld thermal cams quite a bit, and honestly, they're way more practical indoors than drones. You can pinpoint cold spots or moisture issues pretty quickly, especially around windows or plumbing. Moisture meters are handy too, but they're more for confirming suspicions rather than discovering problems outright. Neither is foolproof though—still gotta poke around and verify visually. But if you're into DIY or just want peace of mind, they're definitely not dust collectors...at least not in my toolbox.
Handheld thermals are definitely handy indoors, but I'm curious if anyone's found a budget-friendly option that's reliable enough for outdoor roof inspections? Drones seem pricey and a bit overkill for occasional DIY use...
"Drones seem pricey and a bit overkill for occasional DIY use..."
Yeah, drones are cool but honestly, unless you're inspecting roofs regularly, it's hard to justify the cost. I've tried cheaper handheld thermals outdoors—sun glare and distance make them pretty unreliable. Maybe renting a drone once in a while could be smarter?
Renting might actually be a solid idea. When I bought my first place, I tried climbing up myself to check shingles—never again, lol.
Totally felt that frustration too... drones seem tempting now."sun glare and distance make them pretty unreliable"
Haha, I feel you on the climbing thing—I tried it once and quickly realized heights aren't my thing either. Drones do sound cool, but honestly, hiring someone with a drone setup can get pricey fast. I've found that binoculars from the ground work okay-ish if you catch the right angle and lighting. Not perfect, but definitely budget-friendly and safer than me wobbling around up there...
"sun glare and distance make them pretty unreliable"
Yeah, glare is a pain, but early morning or cloudy days help a bit.
