I don’t know if you have heard of the latest technology in home inspections or not. It’s called thermal imaging. What is thermal imaging you ask? I will start by saying that everything emits thermal energy more commonly known as radiation. Thermal imaging is the practice of using thermal imagers to SEE this energy (which our naked eyes cannot), in real time.
Let me put it in terms everyone understands . . . essentially thermal imaging cameras measure the surface temperature of anything you point them at. By properly analyzing the thermal images we can sometimes SEE the UNSEEN!
How does this relate to home inspections? Why do YOU need your inspector to have this technology? MOISTURE INTRUSION and MOLD!! Average Joe inspector with his moisture meter will only use his meter to confirm what he SEES! That means if there is visible moisture on the walls surface, moisture stains and the like, he will get his moisture meter out and tell you what you already know. “Ma’am you’ve got moisture back there.” Great Joe . . . he has told you what you already know. He is usually going to only use his meter around shower pans to be honest. Now, what can Aardvark Home Inspections do for you? So often YOU are buying a house from a crafty seller; especially in the case of an investor that is flipping a property. If they have a problem with moisture in a ceiling or plumbing BEHIND a wall what are they going to do about it? They are going to put a fresh coat of paint on it the day before they show it and you and Joe are none the wiser! Seller’s disclosures aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Most of the time they deny any knowledge of any prior problems (and how can you prove them wrong??) . . . with Aardvark Home Inspections and thermal imaging! They can deny prior knowledge all they want, but now they are bound to this report and knowledge is definitely power when you are negotiating faults with the property.
Now what if they had a thermal camera and certified thermographer performing the inspection? Well, with a thermal camera Aardvark Home Inspections will search the entire house or building from the inside out pointing the camera at everything! Remember that EVERYTHING radiates thermal energy. That fresh paint won’t hide a thing! The water soaked sheetrock or veneer will emit a different temperature than the dry veneer and WALLAH! YOU know that there is a plumbing leak, a leaking roof etcetera! We all know that where moisture is behind walls, mold is a likely bedfellow. In fact mold will usually show up even if the walls aren’t currently very damp. The mold on the back of the wall will absorb and emit radiant energy differently than the unaffected sheetrock. Again knowledge is power and this is potentially a BIG one in terms of negotiating power that YOU now have.
Another beauty of the camera is that you can often times see where a water leak originates! That is HUGE! Remember that water travels and does its damage often times far away from where it originates as a roof leak. Maybe Joe can spot the moisture stain that you pointed out, but there is a small chance that he can tell you where it’s coming from. Why are you using Joe when you can use Aardvark Home Inspections and thermal imaging!! It doesn’t make sense. Please follow this LINK to the moisture photos set.
Roof leaks are much more easily identifiable as well**. Water that has penetrated under the roof sheathing will absorb in the wood and tar paper underlayment. Mildew, fungus, and mold thrive in this type of atmosphere and will cool at a slower rate than the surrounding unaffected, dry roofing material. This of course will show up in Aardvark Home Inspections report. Joe is wondering why he hadn’t heard of thermal imaging.
So thermal imaging is good for finding moisture behind walls . . . so what? I’m buying a brand new house. What can thermal imaging do for me now?
Please don’t think that the builder’s inspector has YOU in mind when they are inspecting. You would be shocked if you knew how much and what gets missed in new home builds all the time without an independent third party inspector. EVERYONE should hire a third party inspector when they are buying a new home . . . period. At the bare minimum the homeowner should get a warranty inspection before their warranty is up (usually one year).
Your builder will tell you that the city even has their inspectors overseeing the build at every phase. He’s right, but don’t think those guys are going through there with a fine toothed comb either. They’re not! They’re just trying to get back to eating their donuts. I had an inspection where the city inspector had signed off on a list of electrical items that he said were in the proper locations AND functional. Well, he didn’t test them because they were labeled GFCI, but over half were NOT! How does this happen when two “inspectors” had already “inspected” the property. I can assure you that it happens all the time and with everything under the sun. Since we’re talking about GFCIs and electrical processes . . .
Do you know the number one use for infrared thermography? The number one use for infrared thermography is electrical systems analysis and preventative maintenance. By comparative analysis a properly trained thermographer can diagnose a problem often BEFORE a failure occurs. Loose connections, improper loading, improperly gauged wires serving oversized breakers, and overloaded circuits are just a few examples. What does that mean for YOU? It means this technology can save you from nuisance problems with failing breakers, power outages, or worse yet electrical fires! Again, why go with Joe? You want some of his donuts don’t you? Please follow this LINK to the electrical photos in this set.
More than that in new homes as well as all homes, I can pinpoint the places in the building and building envelope that are losing the most energy. Did you know that with infrared thermography it is possible to see missing insulation in exterior walls! This is also more common in new homes than you realize! Do you think Joe is going to catch that?! I didn’t think so.
What do I mean by building envelope? Well, new houses were being built to be air tight (a mistake that is being corrected) which in turn makes them more energy efficient, but also the reason for mold. Therefore, there shouldn’t be areas around windows and doors that are transferring air. These are the most common places for failure in a building’s envelope. This happens because the proper installation techniques were not followed. As a result the windows are not properly sealed. Another problem is when insulating foam is missing in the gaps between the window/door frame and the building’s framing. SEE photos for explanation. This is a common problem, and one that Joe can’t give an opinion on because sheetrock and trim will cover these areas. But YOU will know because you hired Aardvark! And Aardvark Home Inspections uses thermal imaging.
Further evaluation of a home’s energy efficiency is with the AC and ductwork. Here Aardvark Home Inspections uses thermal imaging to shoot your air supply/return/and ductwork. Now when crawling around in a tight and hot attic, Joe is not going to be able to most of the leaks in your air conditioner’s ductwork. It’s simply too hot and a lot of the time you just can’t get into those tight spaces. With a thermal camera we can scan the entire attic for a much more thorough analysis of any energy loss due to the ductwork. Joe can’t do that. Joe doesn’t even want to do that.
Further, with a good camera with spot temperature capabilities Aardvark Home Inspections can measure the Freon lines on the outdoor compressor. The temperatures of these lines are an excellent indicator of the proper functionality of the appliance. Not only does it indicate proper functionality, but can also be an important factor in indicating the AC’s future life expectancy. Having the evidence to recommend a licensed AC repair person is crucial to getting a problem solved BEFORE you buy the property.
What else? I’ll tell you. The most serious problem with a central heating system is a crack in your heat exchanger. Unfortunately, many times these cracks are hairline cracks and very difficult to see. With a thermal camera these hairline cracks have a way of popping out at you. This is one more advantage of Aardvark Home Inspection’s service to you.
Speaking of cracks . . . as stated before because of differences in temperature in solid objects and air, cracks, even hairline cracks are very easy to spot. Nowhere could this be more important than in your foundation. Joe has left the building.
**Detecting roof leaks is best when the roof is dry and after sundown.
Sometimes this can cause scheduling problems.
