Claims Adjuster Uses Drone to See Why Water Penetrated Roof

EagleView Assess™ photographs showed a missing chimney cricket, gaps in chimney flashing and other problems.

Background

A homeowner in Maine filed a claim with his insurance carrier after discovering water damage on the ceiling in a second-floor bedroom.

The carrier sent a field adjuster to visit the home to inspect the damage.  While at the home, the adjuster noted two important details. First, the water damage was close to an outside wall.  Second, there was a chimney on the other side of the bedroom wall.

Challenge

The adjuster needed to see the conditions on the roof to understand what caused the water damage in the bedroom.  Navigating the roof would be difficult because the two-story home had a steep roof with an 8/12 pitch. 

Solution

To see the conditions on the roof quickly, and safely, the adjuster used the Eagleiew Assess™ drone, which she had in her car. 

From the safety of the ground, she flew the drone and secured high-resolution photographs of the entire roof in less than 30 minutes.  Close-up pictures showed the details of each roof section, plus the chimney and gutters.  By completing the roof inspection without a ladder assist company, time and money were saved.

The drone photographs helped the adjuster quickly identify five problems with the roof and chimney.

Problem 1:   Flashing and a cricket were missing between the chimney and the roof.   These issues allowed water to seep through the roof into the second floor of the home.    

Problem 2: A downspout critical for carrying water away from the roof was blocked with debris.   

Problem 3:   Gutters were filled with leaves, branches and a sapling.  

Problem 4: One of the gutters was missing an end cap, which caused water to flow onto another part of the roof.

Problem 5: The chimney cap was damaged, allowing moisture to seep through the brick and mortar.   

Chimney flashing to protect against snow and rain was missing.
Gutters were filled with leaves, branches and a sapling.
An endcap was missing on one of the gutters.
The chimney cap was damaged, allowing moisture to
seep through the brick and mortar.
Impact

Using the detailed roof pictures from Eagleview Assess, the adjuster determined how water seeped into the bedroom and caused damage on the ceiling.

Furthermore, the drone allowed her to work the claim safely and quickly.  She was able to:

  • Stay on the ground and avoid the dangers of climbing on the roof
  • Complete the roof inspection in one day with a single visit to the home
  • Analyze the roof’s condition without a ladder and truck
  • Eliminate the need for a ladder assist company
Learn More

Packed with features and easy to use, Eagleview Assess brings efficiency and consistency to claims adjusting.  Any adjuster, regardless of industry experience and physical ability, can see the conditions on a roof safely and quickly by flying an Eagleview Assess drone. 

To learn about Eagleview Assess for claims adjusting, request a call by filling out our contact form.

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