Thermal Infrared or Infrared Thermography

We were one of the very first and few to use thermal infrared technology on homes and buildings longer than many have been in business. Thermal Infrared has been an important tool for our clients as it helps me help you.

Infrared Thermography produces images of invisible heat energy emitted from objects and systems in the home and allows us to measure it. Thermal imaging helps to diagnose the problem rather than merely identify symptoms. The changes can be subtle or dramatic but with the incredible thermal image scanning technology we see things that wouldn't be able to be seen with the naked eye in a typical home inspection. We greatly exceed the most bought low end 80, 120 or 140 resolution cameras. (The less pixels the less you can see.)

Residential Thermal Inspections

Our infrared camera offers a non-invasive means of monitoring the condition of buildings providing on-site high-resolution thermal imagery, revealing potential structural and moisture issues as well energy efficiency issues.

This is useful for production built homes and existing built homes. New or older built homes or storm repairs can miss insulation which is very common in hurricane or other storm repaired homes as well as:

• roof leaks
• missing, damaged, and/or wet insulation
• moisture intrusion that could lead to mold
• under fastening and/or missing framing members
• energy loss and efficiency
• heat loss and air infiltration in walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors
• plumbing leaks
• more

Infrared Thermography is not x-ray imaging. It reads the surface temperature of materials caused by underlying heat or cold and forms a picture-like image formed of temperatures. Infrared is also used for body scanning thermography by medical professionals including veterinarians.

Thermal loss such as missing insulation results in higher energy costs.

Missing insulation in a vaulted ceiling from time of construction in a 1978 built Galveston townhouse. High energy bills, lack of comfort.

Missing ceiling insulation after hurricane IKE repairs with no access. The room stayed hot. Tiki Island

What you see

What we see with thermal infrared.
Water dripping down wall from the A/C

Storm Damage - After Hurricane Harvey we volunteered our thermal infrared camera and moisture meters for (many/hundreds) of inspections in Galveston County to show the owners the impact of water as well as check on contractors to be sure that insulation as installed back in the walls.

Cons: We have seen self-made Moisture Free Certificates after Harvey by some unscrupulous inspectors. There is no such thing as a Moisture Free Certificate where only a Infrared Camera was used. A infrared camera is not a moisture meter or detector. Any anomaly must be be verified and measured with a moisture meter. Many Moisture Free Certificates were a dog and pony show.

Termites - We cannot legally inspect/identify termites but our camera has been used by a local coastal pest control company to locate a large colony of Formosan termites in a multi-story building on the Strand in Galveston and in area homes. The Formosan tunnels looked like large tree branches behind the walls running up the old timbers as termites generate heat that shows up on the surface of the interior wall. Thermal infrared can be hit or miss.