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Thermal Imaging Inspections – What are you missing?Version en langue française

The Advantage of having a Thermal Imaging Inspection as part of your Home Inspection is huge.  Your Home Inspector, using infrared technology, can actually find missing insulation, hidden moisture and various other problems that can be identified with the use of a Thermal Imaging camera. The Barrie Home Inspector has invested in two Thermal Imaging Cameras.  We offer Free Thermal Imaging on every home inspection we perform. Combined with a moisture meter will allow us to detect and identify hidden areas of moisture that otherwise may have been missed.  Home buyers have no protection when Buying a Home.  Sellers are no longer required to disclose any issues when listing a house for sale.  So the onus is on the purchaser to ensure that they do their “Due Diligence” and Hire a Competent Home Inspector .  Caveat Emptor – Buyer Beware. 

Thermal Imaging Inspections – Affordable for Home Inspectors  

The advance of Thermal Technology has allowed most Professional Home Inspectors to offer this amazing service. Canadian Tire sells a basic model Infrared Camera for under $300.00, but it is not a very accurate model. Barrie Home Inspections provides Free Thermal Imaging  The Barrie Home Inspector has invested in 2 infrared cameras and that cost over $10,000.00 dollars and are from two of the leading manufactures of Infrared Cameras. ( FLIR & FLUKE )

We provide Free Thermal Imaging for Home Inspections in Alliston, Barrie, Innisfil, Orillia and Midland

 Thermal Imaging Experience

The Barrie Home Inspector was the first “Home Inspector” in Barrie, Allison or Orillia to offer Thermal Imaging Inspections as part of the Home Inspection Process.  This allows us to perform the highest quality home inspection available without charging our clients extra fees to use inspection equipment we already have.  Thermal Imaging can find issues in new homes as well as in older homes.  A good example of this is the insulation required in exterior walls, which in older homes, was only required to extend down 18 inches below grade.   In a finished basement a Thermal Imaging Camera will immediately show whether insulation was extended down to the floor when basement was finished or not.   This could be a huge area of heat loss which would necessitate removing entire wall finish to rectify.

Finding Hidden Moisture

With the modern home’s Building Envelope becoming tighter and tighter, moisture has become an issue inside newer homes.  Without the proper airflow moisture from your bathroom, laundry or air conditioning can create mould or mildew in your home.  New homes can have moisture from construction and wet soil conditions trapped between your basement walls and your insulation’s vapour barrier.  Thermal imaging Inspections, combined with a moisture meter can identify areas of hidden moisture which can then be repaired preventing mould growth and wood rot.  Barrie Home Inspections will use Thermal Imaging Camera and a Moisture Meter to detect and verify any presence of Moisture.

Thermal Imaging is beneficial when inspecting Commercial Building roofs.  On multi-layer built up roof layers, moisture can be detected between layers which can help prevent leaking roofs.  Roof inspections are very important part of the Inspection Process due to the high cost of replacement or repair.

Electrical Hot Spots

Thermal imaging Inspections can find hot spots in your electrical system.  Aluminum wiring can corrode at connections and start arcing, causing heat.  Thermal imaging can find these hot areas where a licensed electrician can repair problem before excessive heat could lead to causing a fire.

Heat Loss

Identifying areas of heat loss, around doors and windows, can save you money when leaks are repaired.   Caulking and adding insulation to common areas of heat loss can save home owners between 10 and 15% of their energy bill.  The pictures below show section of ceiling at flue pipe penetration where there a large amount of heat loss was discovered during Thermal Imaging Inspections.   Insulation was probably moved to install flue pipe and not replaced.

The next set of Thermal Imaging pictures shows an area of missing insulation around a light in ceiling of home. Once area is identified it is a simple matter to replace missing insulation to correct problem.

Heat Loss in Ceiling

Thermal Imaging view of heat loss in ceilingHeat Loss at Ceiling Light Thermal Imaging Identifies Missing Insulation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ensure your Home Inspection includes Thermal Imaging which looks for hidden moisture, electrical hot spots and areas of energy loss.  If moisture is detected an Air Quality Test maybe recommended to check for mould and other spores.  Any surface in your home that has come into contact with moisture or water has the potential to grow mould within 72 hours.

DEFECT PICTURES FROM HOME INSPECTIONS

Electrical Defect Pictures
Exterior Defect Pictures
Heating Defect Pictures
Insulation Defect Pictures
Roofing Defect Pictures
Structural Defect Pictures
Thermal Imaging Defect Pictures
WETT Inspection Defect Pictures

Wood Burning Information

WETT Inspection Information & Facts
Chimney Location
About Chimney’s
Installation Check List
Maintenance for Safety
Outside Chimneys