On today’s post, Higher Elevation Home Inspections LLC, got the chance to inspect a home and provide a check list to prevent homebuyers from being blindsided by some easy-to-spot home inspection defects. Most of the time homebuyers do not know what to look for or can not see what is hiding behind the walls or in this case on top of the home. Today we tackle INFRARED THERMAL IMAGING!
A lot of customers, or should I say first time home buyers, wonder what exactly is that? Well, let us dive in and “tackle” this topic shall we?
What does infrared reveal during an inspection?
Moisture is a big issue that gets revealed during these inspections.WHAT ,wait up rewind that! YUP, electrical problems are also discovered as well as heat and energy loss, missing insulation, ventilation concerns, and rodent infestations. Let’s go through a couple of typical problems we find with the infrared thermal imaging camera.
Roofing Leaks
Water will typically give up its heat at a slower rate than its surrounding roofing materials because of its high thermal capacity. By utilizing an infrared thermal imaging camera we can observe if any areas have been affected by moisture. This is best done in the evening when the temperature outside begins to fall. The roofing materials will have released their heat showing up blue or purple on the image, while the moisturized materials will still be warm and will show up red or orange on the image. ( insert picture)
Electrical Concerns
Infrared Thermal Imaging can be utilized to identify the source of electrical problems and address safety concerns. The captured images will be included in the home inspection report.
Structural defects
When we scan walls, floors and ceilings with the camera we are looking for differences in temperature and conductivity. This will tell us about potential compromised structural concerns, missing insulation and areas of moisture in the house.
Infrared technology is a good addition to a visual inspection, but it doesn’t negate the need for an inspector with experience and knowledge of all systems in a home.
These tips will help educate the buyer in making an informed decision when purchasing a home. Let's leave this here for now and if you have any questions or concerns always feel free to contact us at the number listed on our website. ( Jim, please put link to website)
This is Rob signing off on today’s hot topic.
Rob Byrne
Higher Elevation Home Inspections LLC
516.509.9091
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