Think Infrared Thermography is a Waste of Money? Think Again.
Look around your house. Let me guess, you believe your home is free of structural problems.
I hate to break it to you, but there is much more than meets the eye. In reality, your home could have hidden water leaks, costly air leakage, or even hazardous electrical faults, and you do not even know about it.
This is why infrared thermography, or thermal imaging, is an increasingly popular technique used by homeowners to detect potential money sucks and dangers in their homes. Thermography can clue you into problems by identifying and detailing the temperature differences in solid objects around your house. Keep reading for the five most common dangers infrared thermography uncovers.
5 Hidden Dangers Uncovered by Infrared Thermography
1. Water and Moisture Intrusion
Most people think that water and moisture intrusion is easy to spot by the tell-tale discoloration of walls. Unfortunately, this costly assumption has many homeowners falling victim to water damage, moisture, and mold, all of which pose serious health risks.
Infrared thermography can catch this problem early and warn you before real damage is done, and save you and your family from serious health hazards.
2. Unknown Plumbing Leaks
It is easy to identify a catastrophic plumbing leak, but what about the small ones, just tiny drips at a time, inside your walls? These are much harder to find and often are a precursor of larger leaks to come.
Infrared thermography detects heat changes within your walls, shedding light on plumbing leaks you’d probably never otherwise know about… at least not until it was too late.
3. Electrical Faults
One of the biggest tragedies a family can face is a house fire. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, over 35% of house fires are caused by electrical faults. Particularly in older homes, faulty wiring inside the walls can be deadly, but is also difficult to detect.
By spending a few extra dollars up front on infrared thermography, you may end up saving your family not only money, but emotional stress or even serious injuries by preventing potential fires.
4. Wasteful Air Leakage
Does your utility bill seem absurdly high even though you turn off the lights, keep your AC at a reasonable temperature, and even shut off the water while you brush your teeth? The root of the problem may be a high rate of air leakage.
While air exchange and ventilation is necessary, many homes have too much leakage that shows up on those costly monthly bills. Infrared thermography identifies patterns of heat loss and enable you to make your home more energy efficient.
5. Pest Infestation
A homeowner’s worst nightmare is often smaller than a dime: pests. Termites, ants, cockroaches, spiders, and even small mammals can live in your walls undetected causing immense damage for years. By the time you realize they are there, it could be too late.
Infrared thermography picks up the heat let off by these pests and can identify where exactly these pests are hidden.
Ready to Get an Infrared Thermography Inspection?
Think of infrared thermography as an x-ray of your home. On the surface, everything may look fine, but beyond what can be seen by the naked eye, a slew of costly problems may be hiding.
To keep your home safe, you should schedule a regular home inspection by a reputable inspection company. Potential homebuyers should also take advantage of infrared thermography to ensure that before they buy, they are aware of any hidden problems.
Remember it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Beckie Borchers is blogger with a focus on home improvement and home maintenance who strives to create a perfect living environment. To help with providing the best possible living environment, she gets regular inspections from WOOD Inspection Services. If you wish to learn more about Beckie you can visit on Google+.