I've tried the binocular method too, but honestly, I missed a pretty nasty patch of cracked shingles that way. Didn't notice until a storm blew a few off and I had water dripping into my attic... not fun. Borrowed my nephew's drone after that fiasco, and it was eye-opening—caught stuff I'd never have spotted from the ground. Makes me wonder though, how reliable are drones for spotting subtle flashing issues or tiny cracks? Seems like you'd still need to know exactly what you're looking at.
"Makes me wonder though, how reliable are drones for spotting subtle flashing issues or tiny cracks?"
Yeah, drones are great for an overall view, but they're not foolproof. Had a similar experience myself—thought everything looked fine from drone pics, but when I climbed up later, found some sneaky flashing gaps. Still beats binoculars though...
I've been wondering about drones too. Recently bought my first house and considered getting a drone inspection, but now I'm not so sure... Seems like they're handy for spotting obvious stuff, but subtle issues might slip through. Maybe combining drones with an occasional hands-on check is the way to go? Not that I'm eager to climb up there myself anytime soon, haha.
Yeah, drones definitely have their limits. They're great for spotting obvious damage like missing shingles or debris after storms, but subtle stuff—like small leaks or early signs of rot—can easily slip by unnoticed. I've seen a few cases where drone inspections missed minor issues that later turned into bigger headaches. Combining drone checks with occasional hands-on inspections seems like the smartest move, especially if you're not keen on heights yourself...can't blame you there, haha.
Drones aren't perfect, true, but I'd say they're better than hands-on checks for certain roof types. I've had cases where manual inspections actually caused more harm—cracked tiles from walking around carelessly. Sometimes tech beats tradition, depending on the situation...
