Traditional home inspections are visual and home inspectors are not allowed, expected, or required. This is to be expected though. The buyers do not own the property yet and the sellers would not like it very much if you cut into their wall or did some other invasive procedure. Almost all home inspections standards and practices and home inspection contracts have something in them describing the visual nature and non evasiveness of the inspection. It is safe to say that the home inspector on a traditional home inspection is limited to what is visible at the time of the inspection.
Now there is an answer to the traditional inspection. It’s the High Tech Home Inspection. The high tech home inspection will use an infrared camera, see snake and a moisture meter. Infrared imaging provides information relating to otherwise inaccessible areas of a residential or commercial building. The infrared camera detects very small but crucial differences in surface temperature. These temperature differences show up as hot spots or cold spots. They reveal hidden problems that often cannot be detected in the course of a traditional visual home inspection. These problems include:
1. Pipe and ceiling leaks
2. Hidden moisture intrusion
3. Faulty wiring, breakers and fuses
4. Missing Insulation
5. Moisture associated with termite nests.
6. Roof and Ceiling Leaks.
7. Heat/Energy loss
8. Ventilation Problems
9. Foundation Cracks.
The infrared camera shows all the surface temperature that you scan it on. What you are looking for are anomalies. When there is an unexplained anomaly then there is something wrong and you have to figure out what it is. Sometimes it will be obvious because of where the anomalies are. As the temperature changes everything wants to equal out but it takes different amounts of time for them to equal out. There is where you will see the anomalies with things like moisture, missing insulation, and air leaking ducts. Once troubled area have been identified a see snake can be used with a small hole to see what is actually behind the walls. A see snake is a camera with a screen with a long bendable light with camera head. This allows you to see what is behind the wall with only a small hole. Moisture meters can also be used. Combined with traditional home inspection techniques, the infrared inspection method reveals substantially more of the house than can be perceived by the naked eye and conventional inspection tools. Many things can’t be seen with only a flashlight. Although infrared thermal imaging is a far better diagnostic tool than the naked eye, but it does not guarantee 100% accuracy. Thermal imaging combined with traditional home inspection services improves the quality of the information you will have at your disposal to make that all important decision regarding the property. If you have any questions about Hi Tech Home Inspections contact Home Inspection Carolina or Ask the Charlotte Inspector.
