Thermal imaging's handy, sure, but relying on it too heavily can lead you astray. Did your inspector actually climb up and check the attic vents visually, or just trust the thermal scans? I've seen thermal images miss subtle issues like partially blocked ridge vents or even improperly installed baffles. Sometimes the old-school flashlight-and-eyeball method catches stuff that tech misses. Worth double-checking before you dive into repairs...could save you some headaches down the road.
Haha, love the sci-fi analogy—some of these inspection reports do look straight out of Star Trek. Thermal imaging is awesome, but you're spot-on: nothing beats getting up there and eyeballing things yourself. I've crawled into attics thinking the thermal scan was golden, only to find a family of raccoons hosting a poker night behind improperly installed baffles. Definitely worth the extra sweat and flashlight batteries to double-check before you start throwing money at repairs...you got this.
Haha, raccoons playing poker...classic. Reminds me of when I first got my thermal cam and thought I'd cracked the code to DIY inspections. I scanned my basement walls and was convinced I had a major moisture intrusion issue—big blue blotches everywhere. Spent half a weekend pulling drywall only to find out it was just uneven insulation and some weird cold spots from ductwork. Lesson learned: tech is great, but it can lead you down some expensive rabbit holes if you're not careful.
Speaking of thermal imaging, have you (or anyone else here) ever tried using drones for roof inspections? I've seen some impressive YouTube vids where folks rig up thermal cameras on drones to check for leaks or insulation issues. Looks super cool and sci-fi-ish, but I'm skeptical about how accurate it really is compared to climbing up there yourself. Seems like you'd miss subtle stuff like cracked flashing or small nail pops that could turn into bigger problems later. Curious if anyone's had hands-on experience with drone inspections and whether they're worth the investment for a homeowner...
I've seen a couple drone inspections done on job sites, and yeah, they're slick for spotting big issues like missing shingles or obvious heat leaks. But honestly, nothing beats getting up close—especially for flashing or tiny cracks. Wonder if pairing both methods might be the sweet spot...?
Yeah, I totally get what you're saying about drones. When we bought our first house last year, the inspector used a drone for the roof check, and honestly, it was pretty impressive seeing all those high-res images. Felt like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, haha.
But then a few months later, we had a minor leak around the chimney flashing. The drone inspection hadn't caught it because it was just this tiny gap that you really needed to eyeball up close. Luckily, my father-in-law (who's way handier than me) climbed up there and spotted it right away. He said sometimes you just gotta get your hands dirty to find those sneaky little issues.
So yeah, pairing both methods might actually be the best approach. Maybe use drones first to quickly spot obvious problems or hard-to-reach areas, and then follow up with an in-person check for the finer details? Could save time and still give you peace of mind that nothing's slipping through the cracks... literally.
Has anyone else tried combining both methods? Curious if it's becoming more common these days or if inspectors usually stick to one or the other.
