Understanding the Role of Thermal Imaging in Inspections

Pros & cons of thermal imaging for building inspections:

In the history of building thermal imaging is a comparatively new tool available to the building consultant, and it may have the layman wondering what it’s all about, and exactly what it can do…and not do. So in this article we plan to take a quick look at exactly what thermal imaging has to offer you, and what it doesn’t.

With the rise of thermal imaging technology, home inspectors have gained a powerful new tool that significantly enhances their ability to assess properties. This innovative technology may be likened to the role of X-rays in medicine - just as X-ray allows a doctor to gain insight into what is beneath the surface, thermal imaging allows your building inspector to look beyond the visible surfaces of a home. Thermal imaging can give us a picture of the heat patterns behind walls, floors, and ceilings, giving us the clues we need to uncover a hidden world filled with potential moisture issues, water leakage, structural issues and insulation defects.

During an inspection, a thermal camera captures variations in temperature throughout the home. These temperature differences are displayed visually as a spectrum of colours, revealing heat patterns that indicate areas of concern. For instance, unexpected cool spots in winter could suggest inadequate insulation or moisture problems, while warm areas could point to malfunctioning electrical systems, or pest activity.

Thermal imaging has become an important asset for home inspectors, significantly increasing the thoroughness of their evaluations. By utilizing this technology, they can identify problems that might not be visible during a traditional visual inspection, such as leaks from plumbing systems, hidden mould growth, or electrical hotspots that could pose fire hazards. This early detection is crucial, as it allows homeowners and prospective buyers to address these concerns proactively, preventing them from developing into more severe, costly repairs down the track.

Moreover, thermal imaging technology aids in maintaining the safety and integrity of a home. For example, it can detect overheating appliances and electrical components, serving as an early warning system against potential fires. In cases of moisture accumulation, thermal imaging can help pinpoint sources of water intrusion, enabling prompt remediation to prevent mould infestations and structural damage.

On the downside, it must be considered that there are different quality thermal cameras on the market, and not every building inspector is prepared to spend the significant amount needed to get a high end thermal camera. It’s also important to note that a thermal camera is really only helpful in the hands of an expert building inspector who is already on the ball knowing what to look for even without a thermal camera.

For example, one of the problems with thermal imaging is that on hot days it can be difficult to find things like hot water leaks or the warmth of termite activity in a wall, due to the high ambient temperature. A thermal camera relies on variations in temperature to be able to ‘see’ problems like this. Whilst adjustments can be made to the camera, to vary the temperature range it is looking at, it requires interpretation by an expert inspector to understand and interpret the image.

As it is clearly not viable to scan every inch of every surface in a property, the role of a skilled building consultant is important in the process of using a thermal imaging camera. The expert building knowledge and experience that they bring to the table informs them to know when, where and how to use the thermal camera. They also use their expert training to interpret the images and give you a clear and meaningful understanding, including what the implications are for the building defects their thermal image has uncovered. (To understand how important it is to have an expert in charge of the thermal camera, consider for a minute just how useful an X-ray machine would be, without a medical expert to operate it and interpret the images it provides. Yes, exactly, the expertise of the person doing the scanning is just as vital as the image the scan provides.)

As the adage goes, “Knowledge is power.” With the advent of thermal imaging, home inspections have evolved to offer a higher level of accuracy and effectiveness, ultimately ensuring greater peace of mind for homeowners and buyers alike…always providing that the thermal camera is high quality, and is in the hands of an experienced expert building inspector, of course!

High-end thermal imaging cameras can provide more accurate results, sharper images, and greater detail, which is especially useful to track down water leakage issues, rising damp, and solar panel malfunctions, among other things. Higher resolution cameras can capture more data points, which results in more accurate quantitative results, and they produce sharper images, which can be useful for detailed inspections. They will also provide increased awareness and critical information in low-light and low-visibility environments.

So, the next time you think about scheduling a home inspection, consider the remarkable capabilities of thermal imaging—technology that allows an expert inspector to see what is typically hidden from view and provides you with a comprehensive understanding of a property’s condition.