You nailed it about the granules—people always overlook that. I’ve seen roofs that look fine from the ground, but the gutters are full of shingle grit. One thing I’m curious about: has anyone tried those roof inspections with drones? I’ve got a couple properties with steep pitches and I’m not wild about sending folks up there unless it’s necessary. Also, on the moss front, I’ve had better luck with regular gutter cleaning and trimming back overhanging branches than with zinc strips. Anyone else notice that?
Drones for roof inspections are a solid move, especially with steep pitches—saves a lot of hassle and risk. I picked up a basic camera drone last year, and it’s been surprisingly effective for spotting trouble spots like cracked shingles or pooling water. As for moss, I’m with you. Consistent gutter cleaning and cutting back trees have made way more difference than the zinc strips ever did, at least in my damp climate. Zinc helps a bit, but it’s not a magic fix. Keeping debris off seems to be the real game-changer for me.
Drones are handy, I’ll give you that, but I’m still a bit skeptical about relying on them for everything. I’ve had a couple of instances where the camera didn’t catch smaller issues—like a nail pop or a tiny split shingle—that ended up turning into leaks later on. Maybe it’s just the resolution on my drone, or maybe it’s user error (wouldn’t be the first time), but I still feel like you can’t beat actually getting eyes on the roof now and then, especially after a rough winter.
About moss, I hear you—zinc strips seem to get hyped up, but in my experience they only slow things down at best. I manage a few older properties in a pretty wet area and the only thing that’s really kept moss at bay is regular clearing of leaves and needles. Cutting back overhanging branches made a bigger difference than any chemical treatment I’ve tried. Still, I wonder if anyone’s found a long-term fix that doesn’t involve climbing up there every other month? It gets old fast.
Curious if you’ve noticed any issues with drone inspections missing stuff around chimneys or flashing? That’s always where I end up with surprises once the snow melts—water sneaking in at the edges, especially if ice built up. I’d love to trust tech more, but for now I’m still sending someone up there for a closer look at least once a year.
Also, how are you handling insurance claims if you find damage via drone photos? Had an adjuster last year who wouldn’t even look at my drone shots—wanted “real” pictures from the roof itself. Just makes me wonder how much longer before drones are fully accepted for this kind of thing.
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve had decent luck with drones catching stuff I’d probably miss from a ladder—especially on steep roofs where you just can’t get a good angle. The trick for me was upgrading to a drone with better zoom and flying super slow around the chimney and flashing. Still, I agree, there’s nothing like actually poking around up there, especially after a brutal winter. As for moss, I tried copper strips once and they seemed to work a bit better than zinc, but it’s still not a miracle fix. Insurance is a pain though... had an adjuster last year who flat out refused my drone shots too. Maybe in a few more years they’ll catch up.
Funny you mention insurance—last spring I sent in drone pics of hail hits and the adjuster acted like I’d tried to fax him a drawing in crayon. Guess it’s still “old school or nothing” for some of those folks. I do agree, drones are game-changers for steep pitches, but I still end up climbing up just to double-check soft spots or hidden leaks. As for moss, copper helped a little on my north side, but after two winters it’s creeping back. Maybe nothing beats a little elbow grease and a stiff brush...