Enhancing Your Home Inspection With Thermal Imaging
When it comes to buying a new home, it’s important to make sure that everything is in good condition. This is where a home inspection comes in. A home inspection is a thorough examination of a property’s condition, properly performed by your trusted Bent Nails Home Inspector.
Regular home inspections concentrate on important areas like the foundation, roof & plumbing. However, using thermal imaging can improve the quality of your inspection.
What is the definition of Thermal Imaging?
Thermal imaging is a type of technology that uses special cameras to find out how much heat or cold an object gives off. This technology is used in many different industries, like the military and medical fields. It has also become more popular in the home inspection industry.
How does Bent Nails perform this service?
Thermal cameras work by detecting the infrared radiation emitted by objects. The camera then converts this radiation into a visual image, with different colours representing different temperatures. This allows the inspector to see areas of the home that may have temperature differences, indicating potential issues.
Green Scene utilizes the best high-end FLIR video cameras. My cameras provide the best resolution, which results in more accurate inspections. While our thermal video cameras don’t allow X-Ray vision, they help us find problems that the naked eye can’t see.
Owners didn’t realize the severity of the leak from the roof, there was only a little drip at the ceiling light.
What can thermal imaging detect?
This service can detect a variety of issues that may not be visible to the naked eye. These include:
- Electrical issues: Infrared can detect hot spots in electrical systems, which can indicate potential fire hazards.
- Moisture intrusion: Thermal can find moisture intrusion by detecting temperature differences. Moisture intrusion can cause mold and damage to the structure.
- Insulation problems: Thermal can detect areas of missing or damaged insulation. These problems can lead to energy loss and higher utility bills.
- HVAC issues: Thermal imaging can identify areas of heat loss or air leakage in the HVAC system. This can affect the efficiency of the system which you want to avoid.
Missing insulation on the bottom half of the wall, along the entire basement
Why use thermal imaging for a home inspection?
Using infrared for a home inspection can provide a more comprehensive & accurate assessment of the property’s condition. Anything that is not completely cold releases warmth in the infrared world, including ice. The higher the temperature of an object, the more infrared radiation it gives off.
In the summer, using thermographic imaging is useful because there are big differences in temperature inside & outside during the summer and winter. For the most accurate thermal imaging scans, a significant temperature difference (at least 28 ° C) between indoor & outdoor temperatures is encouraged.
Thermal can save time & money by identifying potential issues before they become major problems. Additionally, this service can provide evidence of any issues found, which can be used in negotiations with the seller.
In conclusion
Thermal imaging is a valuable tool for homeowners to receive a more thorough assessment of your home. Using this technology in your home inspection process can help you provide the best service to your clients. If you are buying a new house, make sure to hire a home inspector who uses thermal imaging to do a thorough inspection.
Bent Nails goes above & beyond! When air leaks are found Darren tells you what to buy to improve the area, example is below:
Around the door is leaking exterior air (purple shade) into interior. I recommend buying bottom door seal & weatherstripping with example prices given. These are only recommendations.
Follow the link to the thermal inspections Bent Nails does for you free of charge during every home inspection!