In today’s world, there are so many ways technology can help us to improve our lives. When it comes to your home, infrared thermography is an excellent tool that can be used to discover potential areas of energy waste and moisture damage. A thermographic inspection Is one of the quickest ways to identify any issues in your home that may need fixing.
How Does it Work?
Thermography measures the temperature of a surface by detecting light that is in the heat spectrum. It maps the temperature out by color, assigning white to warm areas and black to cooler areas, with every other color of the rainbow in between. Red, orange and yellow represent hot, with green and blue representing cold.
Why is Thermography Great?
There are many reasons which make thermography such an excellent tool for use in auditing your house for potential issues.
- It easily allows the inspector to identify any defects in construction by producing a visual image which allows for an easy comparison of the temperature between different areas of the home
- It allows for the measurement of temperatures in areas of the home which may be dangerous or even impossible to access
- It allows for a real-time analysis
- It is relatively simple to use and understand
- It is unobtrusive and non-destructive
What Can it Detect?
An infrared inspection using a thermographic camera can be used to identify a myriad of potential issues within your home.
- Structural problems: Energy issues within your home that may be the result of poor construction practices, such as poor heat transfer, can be identified through the use of infrared thermography.
- Problems with your electrical system: An infrared scan may be able to identify issues with your home’s electrical system, such as loose connections that may be causing some of your home appliances to run inefficiently.
- Leaky roof: Use of a thermographic camera can be useful in detecting water spots and the intrusion of moisture into the structure of your roof. This can be useful in identifying any developing leaves so that you can ask to fix them before they cause any major damages.
- Other leaks: Aside from leaks on your roof, an infrared scanner can help to identify leaks anywhere in your home, such as leaks that may be coming from your windows or plumbing system. Thermography will allow you to detect these issues early and get them fixed quickly.
- Inadequate insulation: An infrared camera is excellent at detecting major temperature differences within your home. This can help you to identify any areas where you may not have enough insulation and could benefit from more.
Preparing for an Inspection
There are certain steps that should be performed by the homeowner before undergoing a thermographic inspection in order to ensure accurate results. It may be necessary to remove drapes from around windows and move furniture away from the walls. In order to get the most accurate thermographic images, there should be a temperature difference of at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit between the inside and the outside of your home. For this reason, inspections are usually done during the summer with the air conditioner switched on in the Southern United States. Conversely, homes that are located in the northern United States, typically have scans done during winter.