Closer Look Home Inspectors | Home Inspection 507-721-2018
Thermal imaging cameras are excellent tools for home inspections because they can measure the heat energy (infrared wavelengths) an object emits. How is this helpful? For one, home inspections conducted with infrared cameras do not require you to cut open walls or tread in potentially unsafe areas because they can measure the target’s heat from a distance away.
This is particularly helpful in that it is not only safe for you and non-invasive, thermal imaging scans can reveal things that normal cameras or even the naked eye can’t see. They can point out issues such as water leaks, moisture, air gaps & insulation gaps, overloaded electrical services & most importantly, heat loss. All of these problems can lead to thousands of dollars in damage to a property, which is extremely beneficial to know before purchasing a particularly old home or investment property.
Handheld thermal imaging cameras for home inspections can detect a wide array of issues in a cost effective manner. When it comes to a purchase such as a home or investment property, a nominal amount for a thermal inspection can save you literally thousands in the long run in home repairs. Below is list of potential issues thermal imaging cameras can detect and images illustrating how they would appear in thermograms when performing thermal imaging analysis.
- Water intrusions and moisture- Water leaks can be a serious two-fold issue. For one, water leaks can lead to structural integrity issues in roofs, floors, ceilings & beams, which in turn can lead to more property damage than you bargained for. Water leaks & moisture can also be particularly hazardous to your family’s health, because they can foster the perfect environment for molds to grow unchecked. Molds can be an allergen that causes irritations in individuals as small as a runny nose or as fatal as Anaphylaxis. Water leaks and mold should be dealt with in an expedient manner.
- Insulation gaps and air leaks- Insulation gaps are one of the biggest issues with home heating. Air drafts and heat loss can significantly increase energy costs because your money is literally going out the window. Since poor building construction and air leaks are often extremely difficult to identity, having a thermal imaging camera is a huge benefit. It can quickly identify the problem areas around windows, doors & flooring, pinpointing the exact areas of your home insulation that need to be improved.
- Energy Audits- The inspector can see what type of electrical service is implemented in the home, whether its a 15 or 20 amp service and can identify wiring types, circuit breakers as being functional, and use multimeter gauges to measure amps being emitted from wall outlets. But what he can’t see is if a certain circuit breaker may be overheating. With a home inspection being conducted as preventative maintenance, over-tasked or dated circuits can be easily identified.
- Pest Infestation- It’s bad enough when a home inspector tells you that your house is filled with pests such as termites, beetles or even rodents. But seeing the entire picture of just how much damage that varmints can cause is important in determining just how much repairs need to be made. Thermal imaging cameras can point out gaps in beams and tunnels through insulation and walls of the home. Knowing where the pests are hiding is key to stopping them in their tracks, at the soonest possible time before any more damage is done.
Closer Look Home Inspectors | Home Inspection 507-721-2018