What Is Thermal Imaging And How Is It Used In Home Inspections?
When you get a home inspection, you want it to be as thorough as possible. The problem is that there is often damage in places you can’t see, like within your insulation or the house’s internal structure. Problems in these areas can include leaks and energy dissipation due to a lack of properly installed insulation.How can we detect the flaws that might be hidden in these elusive spots? It’s not like your home inspector is Superman and can use x-ray vision to see into the very bowels of your house.
Or can he?
Thermal imaging is almost as good as Superman’s penetrating gaze. It uses a form of radiation called infrared to reveal heat variations on the surfaces in your house, namely interior and exterior walls. A home inspector who uses thermal imaging will save you a lot of money by detecting hidden problems in your house before they become money pits.
In this article, we’ll explain what thermal imaging is, what home inspectors use it to look for, and why it’s so important for you to hire a home inspector who is certified to perform thermal imaging.
How Does The Process Of Thermal Imaging Work?
Thermal imaging, or thermography, works by using infrared cameras to detect and measure the temperature of a given surface (such as a wall). The cameras on a thermal imager show the heat as light. These images of heat as light allow the thermographer to see how the heat is being distributed. Using the distribution as a guide, a thermographer can detect issues in the internal structure of a building and offer suggestions for how best to fix them.
How Is Thermal Imaging Used In Home Inspections?
We know that thermographers can tell by the way heat is distributed on a given surface if there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. So how is this applied to home inspections? Home inspectors who are certified thermographers will use this incredible technology to look for telltale signs that something in your home’s internal structure is not working right. One sign they may look for is if heat is being redirected away from a certain area in your home. This can be an indication that your home doesn’t have enough insulation in that spot. Another sign they can detect is if an electrical outlet is putting out too much energy, which might indicate that there is a problem with the outlet’s wiring. Left unrepaired, it could become a fire hazard. Withoutthermal imaging, however, such a dangerous problem might have gone undetected.
Thermal imaging can also help reveal leaks in the roof. Wet insulation is a better heat conductor than dry insulation. So if a thermographic home inspection reveals a very hot roof, then it’s not unreasonable to suspect that there may be a leak in it. Detecting this and all the other problems we highlighted above as soon as possible will save you a lot of time and headaches (and money).
Is It Important To Use Thermal Imaging For My Home Inspection?
Yes, it is important. Think about why you’re getting a home inspection. If you’re buying a home, you want to make sure that there are no surprises you have to fix within a few months after moving in. If you’re selling your home, you want to find all the potential problems in your home and get them fixed so you won’t have future buyers hounding you later.
What if you’re not buying or selling your home? A thermographic inspection, with or without an inspection of the rest of the home, is still a great idea. A home is like a car: it needs to be checked once in a while to make sure all its insides and outsides are still in good shape. Once again, the sooner you detect any problems with the internal structure of your home, the more time and money you will save later.
Where Can I Find A Home Inspector Certified In Thermal Imaging?
Here at Catalyst Inspections, we are certified thermal imaging inspectors as well as certified home inspectors for residents in Loveland, CO; Windsor, CO; Ft. Collins, CO; and all of Northern Colorado. Thermal imaging is a service we offer as part of our home inspections, totally free of charge. There’s no risk involved, and only good things can come of it. At best, we’ll find a perfect home free of flaws. At worst, we’ll uncover some issues that you are better off knowing about now so you can fix them before they become major fix-its.
Book with us online today at CatalystInfrared.com, and let us help you make your home safe for you and your family!
Source: Energy Source
