Should you use drones for a home inspection?
Depending on when you started your home inspection career, using drones might seem like a crazy, futuristic idea, but it is fairly common today.
Roof Inspection with a Drone
One aspect of your home inspection business that can be made a lot easier with a drone is examining roofs. Home inspectors are not required to walk on roofs and, in fact, it can be harmful to the roof if it is made of slate or another material that can break under pressure. For their own safety and the safety of the roof, inspectors usually complete roof inspection from the ground with binoculars and by going into the attic, or by climbing a ladder to the eaves.
These methods are useful to detect a number of problems, but being able to view the roof up close with a drone is invaluable. Moreover, it is a lot easier to carry around a drone than a big, heavy extension ladder.
A roof is an expensive part of a house, and if anything is wrong with it, the owner might be looking at bills in the thousands of dollars. So the more information you have about a roof, the better service you can provide to your customers.
What’s So Great About a Drone?
A drone can allow you to see problems with a roof that an inspection from the ground or a ladder never would, such as lifting shingles or bent flashing. A video on the American Society of Home Inspectors’ website demonstrates how to use a drone to examine a roof.
But drones aren’t cheap, and ones with cameras run about $1,000. Home inspections have been done for decades without the help of drones, so is it worth the money to buy one?
You might get away with waiting a few years if your competition doesn’t have drones. But why be the last home inspector in your area to get a drone instead of the first? Being cutting-edge will likely improve your business. Plus, flying drones is fun!
What’s Not So Great About a Drone?
While drones may seem like a magical tool, you must take some precautions when using a drone. First, you can’t fly them in extreme weather conditions such as rain, snow, or high winds.
Also, if you decide to invest in one, remember to practice flying it at home first. Crashing a drone is an expensive mistake, as is flying it into restricted airspace.
Be sure to check with your insurance carrier as well to make sure you’re covered if the drone is damaged, or if it somehow does damage to someone’s property.
The ASHI reporter gives advice to home inspectors thinking of getting a drone, such as which one to choose and how much to practice before using them for an inspection.
To Drone or Not to Drone?
Home inspection is a dynamic field, and changes are always taking place. You may not always be at the front of the pack with the newest technology, but you can at least be familiar with it in case you want to try it one day.
If you’re interested in a home inspection career, check out our website today.
