Your home inspection is a visual inspection of the dwelling. I like to take this a step further as a property inspector because I want to make sure things work above and beyond flipping a switch on a thermostat (more on this later). Also, Building Safety is very important to me and is one of my goals that you and/or your family know if there are any issues with the building.
I always do my inspections with the latest technology because sight and smell are good indicators but it is always good to take one step further and have equipment to back up my findings. Moisture meters, voltmeters, GFCI testers, temperature meters, and other diagnostic tools i use daily.
I do use an Infrared camera. However, what I have found is that infrared cameras are diagnostic tools that have many applications, most of which have very little to do with inspecting houses. They are limited. They basically look at surface temperature. So for looking at a first floor ceiling to see how hot it is you can take an infrared camera to it but I also go in the attic to see if there is any insulation.
They cannot see inside of or through walls, or anything else. They can’t see water. They can’t see mold. They can’t see termites. In fact, all they can see is the infrared energy or temperature of a surface.
More importantly is having the right electronic tools for every item you are inspecting. Going back to my thermostat example. It is not enough for me to turn on the A/C but how cold is that air blowing in each room and what is the CFM (air flow rate) in each of the rooms.
Contact me anytime if you have any questions or need your next home inspected.
John Sclafani
Illinois Home Inspector