Remember when we did chimney inspections without cameras?

Back in 2002 I was up on a roof in Portland with just a flashlight and a mirror on a pole, guessing at cracks by feel. Now I run the scope down and see everything on my phone in 5 minutes. The old way took twice as long and I missed stuff I can spot instantly today. Anyone else miss the physical check, or is it just me?

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victor_adams20d ago

Cameras changed the game for sure, but nobody talks about what we lost with our hands. I used to catch soft spots in the flashing or a loose boot by touch, things a screen wont show you. A scope can show a crack but it cant tell you if that mortar is dusty and crumbling or just dirty. Ive seen guys run a camera, spot a hairline, and call it good, then the whole crown needs redoing a year later. The physical check wasnt just about seeing, it was about feeling the structure push back. Technology helps, but it made a lot of us lazy about the basics.