Infrared Home Inspection: What a Thermal Camera Can Find, and What It Cannot Prove
Some buyers hear that an inspector will use an infrared camera during a home inspection. Here is what the camera can help show, and where its limits are.
What an infrared camera shows
An infrared camera displays differences in surface temperature. Keystone Castle Inspections uses thermal imaging to help detect hidden moisture and insulation issues.
Moisture: a cooler patch on a wall or ceiling can be a possible sign that water has been present.
Insulation: uneven temperatures across a wall or ceiling can point to missing or damaged insulation.
For insulation and the building envelope, the walls, ceilings and windows that separate the inside of a home from the outside, temperature patterns are most useful as a guide to where to look more closely. Warm and cold spots can also be possible clues to energy loss. A clue is not proof.
What an infrared camera cannot show
The camera cannot see through walls, floors or ceilings. It shows surface temperature, not what is behind the surface.
A clean camera image does not prove that a concealed area is dry or free of defects. A home inspection is a non-invasive evaluation of the accessible structure, systems and components, so areas the inspector cannot reach or see are not covered by a camera image.
A moisture anomaly needs confirmation. Inspectors may take a moisture meter reading and, where appropriate, carry out further evaluation before drawing a conclusion.
For insulation and building-envelope assessment, temperature differences are easiest to read when there is a clear difference between the inside and the outside of the home. On a mild day, those patterns can be harder to see.
How to read infrared findings in your report
When you get your report, look for three things:
The camera image, next to a regular photo of the same area.
Whether another check confirmed the finding.
What the report recommends next.
Keystone Castle Inspections delivers residential reports within 24 hours, with photos and plain-language explanations. Ask questions about any part of your report.
Questions to ask before you book
Will the inspector show me the camera images during the inspection?
Which areas of the home are accessible for the inspection?
How will each finding be explained in the report?
Learn more
To see what a home inspection costs in Pittsburgh and what affects the price, read How Much Does a Home Inspection Cost in Pittsburgh?
To learn more about our infrared service, visit our Infrared page. Find answers to common questions on our Frequently Asked Questions page. To schedule an inspection or request a quote, visit keystonecastleinspections.com.
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