Thermal People

Infrared Home Inspection

What is an infrared home inspection, why do I need one, who can perform this inspection and can do I need an infrared home inspector.

Why should you have an Infrared Home Inspection?

Infrared home inspections and energy audits are receiving more attention recently for several reasons. With homeowners being uncertain about the long-term consequences of the shaky economy, many are deciding to forego moving to another home and are staying in the home they already own. Some of these homes need repairs and upgrades, and a thermal home inspection can give homeowners information to determine where they need to concentrate their remodeling efforts. Homeowners that do decide to relocate want to make sure they are getting their money’s worth, and an infrared camera home inspection or lets them know if their new home will be structurally sound and energy efficient. A sharper focus on the environment and individuals’ responsibilities for ensuring energy conservation is driving homeowners to rely on thermal home inspections and energy audits for “green” energy usage.

What is an Infrared Home Inspection?

An infrared inspector uses a specialized thermal infrared camera, which detects temperature variations and displays the temperatures as a digital image on the camera’s screen. After analyzing the digital display, the thermal inspector is able to target numerous problems, including areas in the home that are allowing air to enter and exit the home, places with inadequate insulation, electrical problems, moisture damage, and leaky pipes.

How will an Infrared Home Inspection help me?

One of the greatest advantages of an infrared camera home inspection is that it can find hidden problems without causing any destruction to the home. Infrared inspectors are able to locate potential and active problems inside and outside of the home, saving time and money with a one-time total home inspection. It is not necessary to damage walls, roofs, or other parts of the home to check for latent problems. A complete infrared camera home inspection covers every aspect of the home. A thermal inspector can find areas of improperly installed insulation and insulation with an adequate R-value. Thermal infrared cameras can detect air leaks around windows and doors, insufficient caulking around drywall, and cracks in the walls. Repairing these problems will result in energy and money savings. An infrared inspector may also be able to uncover mold growth in the home, which is something that is often undetected until it creates health problems. The inspector can detect leaky pipes and structural leaks. Homeowners will also get audits of the electrical system, water heater, air conditioning and heating systems, fireplace flue, and radiant or in-floor heating with a full infrared camera home inspection.

Who can perform this Infrared Service for me?

There are many qualified thermal infrared inspectors for you to choose from nationwide. A great resource for finding someone to inspect your home in your local area is www.thermalpeople.com. At this site you can search by state, city, zip code or even find nationwide inspectors that will service your needs. Thermalpeople.com lists both basic and platinum members on its website.

Can I perform this inspection by myself?

There is definitely more to an infrared inspection than turning on a camera and pointing it at some walls. It is always recommended that you seek the advice and services of a qualified inspector in order to obtain the most reliable results. However, prices of thermal cameras have finally reached there low point and it is now feasible for many people to either start their own inspection companies or add this service to their existing operations. According to Thermal Infrared Camera Predictive Maintenance Company, Sierra Pacific Innovations’ hand-held RAZ-IR thermal infrared camera is “the smallest, lightest and most advanced thermal imager in the world.” The RAZ-IR is capable of providing detailed thermographic images and offers “a wide range of unique features and benefits enabling thermographers, energy efficiency inspectors and plant engineers to operate more efficiently and economically than ever before.” Homeowners appreciate knowing exactly what home repairs and upgrades are necessary before beginning a remodeling project, and house buyers and sellers are able to detect problem areas that need to be repaired.