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Using Thermal Imaging Technology In Home Inspections

18 July 2019 by Clarence Horton

Thermal imagining is not new; in fact, public safety officials have been using it for years to track fleeing criminals or local fire in the walls of a structure, but there are some alternative uses that you may not have considered. Home inspectors can put thermal imaging to work in their inspection process and open up a whole new level of inspection that can help determine the safety and energy efficacy of a home. 

Electrical Panels and Wiring

Electricity generates heat and a faulty ground or anything that causes resistance in the wiring will make the wiring hot. This is the reason that a house can catch on fire from bad wiring. A thermal camera can see these hot areas inside the walls of a home and pinpoint problem areas before you even know they are there.

A home inspector that knows what they are looking at can see the hot spots on the screen and can warn the homeowner and the buyer of potential problems inside the wall before a fire starts, allowing the homeowner to fix the problem while it is still small and simple to deal with.

Heating System Leaks

Another way a home inspector can use a FLIR thermal camera is to check the heat ducts in the home. If there is an area that is leaking or losing a large amount of heat along the duct, the system may be running harder to try and heat the room because the heat is not getting to the room with the thermostat in it. 

The home inspector can use the thermal camera to check the ductwork in sections and look for areas that are substantially hotter than other areas. With the heat running, the inspector will be able to see areas of hot air outside of the ductwork and very quickly find the leak in the system. If the ducts are insulated, a leak that pushes hot air out of the insulation is even easier to see if you understand the way heat and cold are displayed on the screen.

Leaking Windows and Doors

Cool air or heat leaking around the windows and doors of a home can make the home very energy inefficient and may require replacement windows and doors to resolve the problem. The thermal camera can detect the hot or cold air moving around the window or door frame and show the inspector precisely where your heat and air conditioning are getting out of the home. When you are looking for air leaks, thermal detection is one of the fastest ways to find changes in temperature in any structure. 

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