Drone technology continues to evolve, as they have become lighter and more affordable. Many roofing contractors in Georgia are using and marketing drone technology to safely inspect, measure, and detect damages. Drones may be a safer way to observe a roof for the inspector, but they have many disadvantages too.
Here at Georgia Roof Advisors, we are big believers in the best roof inspections being those that take place by walking on the roof and touching your roof’s shingles. In this blog, we will explain why this trend of relying on drones for roofing inspections is not the best choice for roofing companies or homeowners.
Let’s get started.
Advantages Of Using Drones For Roofing Inspections
Like we mentioned above, drones are safer because the inspector doesn’t go on your roof. There is always a risk to having someone on your roof, but when you work with an experienced, licensed, and insured roofer like Georgia Roof Advisors, you can be confident that the roofer knows what they are doing and won’t get hurt.
Another advantage about drone technology being used for roofing inspections is that they are very accurate when it comes to measurements. The technology in newer drones is incredible with accurately finding the size and location of the damage of your roof.
Unfortunately, this is where the advantages of using drones for roofing inspections end.
Drones Inaccurately Assess Roof Damage
While safety and measurement accuracy are not in question, damages that the drones pick up can often be misinterpreted as storm-related rather than other, more common damages, such as normal wear and tear, or a manufacturer defect.
Hail and wind damages are usually covered by most insurance carriers. Homeowners are filing insurance claims that are being denied because a roofing company has flown a drone and detected storm-related damages.
Hail can be confused with blisters that form and pop leaving a pit in the shingle. Blisters occur from volatile organic compounds or moisture escaping the shingle after the manufacturing process. They are much more frequent on older roofs, poorly ventilated roofs, or roofs with multiple layers.
Shingles lose their granules as they age. This is to be expected and is considered normal. The loss of granules can form shapes that often resemble hail. Every now and then we will see a bad batch of shingles that have escaped the quality control process at the manufacturing plant.
If you rely on someone to use a drone to inspect your roof then make sure their findings can be collaborated with collateral damages. If your shingles have hail damage then so should your gutters, gutter covers, window screens, exhaust caps on HVAC and water heater, cars, mail boxes, siding, etc. There should be additional evidence that hail has done actual damage.
Drones Don’t Tell The Whole Story Of How Much You Will Need To Pay For Roof Repairs
Getting a trained roofing professional to walk on your roof is the only way to truly understand every detail of your roof so you can make an informed decision and budget properly for roof repairs.
Looking at the decking in the attic can give you an idea of how much wood needs to be replaced but an inspector feeling the wood on their feet will tell them more. Soft spots and delaminated wood cannot be identified by a drone.
If your roof only gets inspected by a drone, then you will have extra costs of the roof to pay for on the day of construction that the drone couldn’t see, such as multiple layers of shingles. Nailing patterns and flashings can only be seen by separating and lifting up shingles.
Why A Roofing Inspector Should Walk On Your Roof
Have your roof inspected by a professional roofing company who gets on the roof if you want to be better educated and prepared to make the best financial decision for your family.
Here at Georgia Roof Advisors, we have been serving our community for over 13 years, and we know that some things need to be inspected by a trained eye and touched by an experienced roofing contractor. That is why we will always get on your roof during a roofing inspection.
If you need to get your roof inspected, give us a call at (678) 757-3477 for your complimentary roofing inspection today!