Infrared thermal imaging, also called infrared thermography, provides a detailed look at differences in temperature patterns within a home. The reasons for these shifts in temperature within a home can indicate a number of different issues and require an experienced thermographer to read and interpret the results. Let’s take a closer look at infrared thermal imaging and how it benefits your home inspection.
What is Infrared Thermal Imaging?
Infrared thermal imaging is a special type of imaging that measures temperature. This technology gives a home inspector a way to peek inside walls and other areas of a home’s structure to look for potential issues that are not as visible or readily apparent. No technology is perfect so infrared thermography does have its limitations, however, an inspector experienced with interpreting the results of infrared thermal imaging can use this data to give the buyer a great deal more info about the home.
What Issues Does Infrared Thermal Imaging Find?
Depending on conditions, here are some of the many things infrared thermal imaging technology could find during your home inspection:
- Detect hidden water from plumbing leaks inside walls, floors and ceilings
- Detect walls and ceilings with missing or incorrectly installed insulation
- Detect leaking ductwork
- Detect drafts or air leaks from attics and basements
- Detect vermin infestation, including ants, bees, wasps, termites, mice and other critters
- Detect water leaks inside walls from windows and doors
- Detect condensation overflow that has settled below carpets or behind walls
- Detect water in carpet padding or carpeting materials
- Detect water beneath exterior materials such as stucco
- Detect heat loss due to cracks, poor weather-stripping and leaking seals
- Detect “hot” electrical switches, circuits and connections in the electrical panel that could present a fire hazard
The Benefits of Infrared Thermal Imaging
Given all of the issues that infrared thermography can uncover that are often “invisible”, this technology has some pretty big benefits.
- See major problems that might not have been discovered in a traditional home inspection
- Find potentially hazardous wet conditions that can lead to mold growth and sick building syndrome
- Discover animal and insect infestations before you close on the home
- Uncover possibly hazardous electrical issues before they threaten the life of you or your family
- Give you peace of mind
Now that you know what infrared thermal imaging can tell you about a home you’re planning to buy, you probably can’t imagine having a home inspection that doesn’t provide you with all of this necessary information. You don’t have to! Bridgewater Home Watch includes infrared thermal imaging with every home inspection at no extra cost to you. Our job is to ensure you know everything you possibly can about the home you’re buying and that’s why we include it as a regular part of every home inspection we do.
