I always wonder how folks figure out if it’s just a couple shingles or if there’s hidden water damage. I mean, I can spot missing shingles from the ground, but what’s the best way to check for leaks before things get ugly? I’ve tried the attic flashlight trick, but sometimes it’s hard to tell if that stain is new or old.
- Been there, stains in the attic always throw me off too.
- I usually mark the edges of a stain with a pencil—if it grows after a rain, it’s active.
- Noticed sometimes leaks show up way farther from the missing shingle than you'd think, so tracing can be tricky.
- Gutters and flashing are sneaky culprits, not just shingles.
- Don’t beat yourself up—sometimes even the pros miss stuff until it gets worse.
Gutters and flashing are sneaky culprits, not just shingles.
That’s what tripped me up after our last storm—thought it was just a couple missing shingles, but the real issue was a busted gutter joint. Ended up costing more than I expected, mostly because I waited too long thinking it was minor. For those who've been through this, did your insurance actually cover much, or did you end up paying out of pocket? I’m still trying to figure out if it’s even worth filing a claim for stuff like this.
Yeah, I hear you—gutters and flashing seem like small potatoes until they aren’t. I had a similar deal last year, except mine was a flashing issue that let water creep in behind the siding. Insurance only chipped in after a bunch of back-and-forth, and honestly, by the time I paid the deductible, it barely felt worth it. If it’s just gutters or minor flashing, sometimes it’s cheaper (and less hassle) to just fix it out of pocket, especially if your deductible’s high. Storms really know how to find the weak spots, don’t they?
That’s spot on—flashing and gutters are often overlooked until water intrusion starts showing up in weird places. From what I’ve seen, even a small flashing gap can let moisture wick behind siding, leading to rot or mold before you even notice. Sometimes, the secondary damage costs more than the initial repair. Insurance claims can get tricky too, especially if the adjuster decides it’s “maintenance” instead of “storm damage.” It’s wild how a few inches of misaligned metal can turn into a whole project...
