The process of home inspection is aimed at making home buyers and sellers aware of any flaws and defects in the house. Licensed professionals called home inspectors are hired for the task.
Home inspections, most often, are done at the time of purchase/sale of a house but a homeowner can have an inspection done for other reasons, for example, before renovation or general health check up of the house etc.
Home inspectors usually do a visual and non-invasive examination of the entire house and its systems, such as, HVAC, electrical & plumbing systems etc. Skillful and experienced inspectors are capable of detecting obvious and non obvious defects but even the most experienced inspectors cannot detect issues that are not visible to the human eye and that is where technology comes in.
Thermal Imaging achieved by Infrared cameras is one such technology and this article is all about that.
What is Thermal Imaging?
All objects emit heat in the form of infrared radiations. The art of transforming those infrared radiations into an image is called thermography or thermal imaging.
Thermographic cameras are used for thermal imaging.
How Does Thermal Imaging Work In Home Inspection?
Thermal Imaging offers a variety of applications in many fields but this article will focus on how it helps in detecting flaws and defects in a house.
The basic principle of thermal imaging in home inspection is that it detects the difference in temperature of objects or areas. The temperature differential helps home inspectors to determine what could possibly be wrong.
Temperature differential is shown by different colors in the image. Bright colors i.e. White, Yellow, Red & Orange represent warmer objects and dark colors i.e. Purple, Dark Blue, & Black colors indicate cold objects.
Thermal imaging enables inspectors to examine areas and detect defects which are impossible to discover with non-invasive and visual examination. Pictures below demonstrate how thermal imaging works in home inspection.
This picture is a thermal image of a ceiling. Two big dark spots can be seen. These spot indicate that there is no insulation in this area. Areas where insulation is not present can let the heat escape in winter resulting in increased energy bills. Naked eye would never detect this. |  |
This picture shows thermal image of an electrical panel with wires going into the bus. We see that one wire is bright yellow indicating that it is hotter than the rest of the wires. This could be the result of an overloaded circuit or a loose wire. Just a visual examination would not have discovered that. |  |
This picture is a thermal image of a light switch. We see dark rays emitting from the sides of the switch which indicates that cold air is coming into the house. If issues like these are not fixed heating system has to run longer to maintain the temperature resulting in higher energy bills. |  |
Types Of Defects Thermal Imaging Detects
Thermal imaging uncovers a variety of defects. Most common are described below.
Moisture in Walls and Ceiling
When the walls are scanned with a thermal camera it shows the difference of temperature in damp and moist areas and dry areas. An inspector can also see if insulation is missing in certain areas of the walls or ceiling.
Heat Loss
Poor or missing insulation or leaks and cracks could lead to heat loss. In order to maintain temperature the heating or cooling systems have to run continuously resulting in higher energy bills.
Thermal imaging detects the leak path or missing insulation and once the problem is known it can easily be fixed.
Electrical Defects
Thermal imaging detects problems in electrical panels. The difference in temperature of wires and circuits indicate overloaded circuits or loose wires etc. Problems like these could lead to electrical fire.
Leak Detection
Plumbing is hidden behind the walls, any leaks in pipes can remain undiscovered for a long time and which can lead to serious damage to the house and its structural integrity. Presence of moisture in non ventilated areas leads to growth of mold.
Pests Detection
Thermal cameras have the ability to detect wood eating pests. When there are a large number of pests in an area the camera shows a difference in temperature indicating presence of pests in that area. Only thermal imaging has the capability of such non-invasive detection.
Conclusion
Whether you are a buyer or a seller, home inspection almost guarantees that there are no unpleasant surprises during the deal. Thermography is the technology that makes sure that home inspectors are able to go beyond what naked eye could see. When looking for a home inspector, you should always look for someone who uses the latest technology so that you get the most accurate picture of the condition of the property.
Home inspectors usually charge an additional fee for thermal imaging. At Skycity Home Inspections we offer free thermal imaging with standard home inspection.
Click here to get a free quote
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