How We Use Thermography in a Home Inspection
Thermography is the use of an infrared camera to take pictures using infrared energy or radiation that is emitted from objects, which allows us to see the variation in temperatures. That temperature difference is what makes it possible for the technician to spot moisture intrusion in a ceiling, floor, wall or roof, poor insulation or a hot spot in an electrical panel not visible to the human eye.
Only a handful of home inspectors use an Infrared camera on their inspections. There are a various reasons that not all home inspectors use this type of state-of-the-art technology in a typical home inspection.
One of the reasons is that an infrared camera is quite expensive to purchase and to maintain. They can range anywhere from a few thousand dollars to upwards of twenty thousand dollars. The training that is necessary to properly operate and use efficient techniques to analyze the pictures taken, is also costly, not to mention, it takes an extended amount of time to achieve this certification.
Another reason that some home inspectors do not use thermography as a part of their inspections is because it creates additional work for them. It takes more time and effort to create the conditions necessary for this type of imaging during an inspection. If moisture is identified through the use of infrared, follow up testing with various moisture meters will follow in order to help substantiate the findings. This process can also be time consuming when inputting the pictures and analyzing these thermographs to identify any anomalies or defects that may appear on the images. A trained thermographer needs to view the picture and interpret their findings, based on their knowledge of the home and apply the theory learned in training.
The last reason a home inspector may not choose to use this type of technology is because it can bring certain issues to light that would not have been identified otherwise. Some inspectors do not like to make transactions more difficult for the agents that use them on a regular basis. This makes the transaction a lot easier for everyone, except for the buyer, who has to deal with these issues once they move into the home.
Why would any buyer choose to use an inspector that is not doing everything they possibly can to inform the client of the potentially costly or hazardous conditions that may exist in a house? Mazza Inspections uses proprietary methods when conducting inspections using infrared to identify possible electrical or moisture intrusion issues.
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