Often a home may give some indications that there are leaks occurring that cannot be easily seen. When buying, selling, or simply maintaining your home, leaks can become a major problem. Often you will find damp walls, stains on the ceilings or puddles on the floor that will warn you there is a leak in the pipes. However, there are times you may not see anything to indicate there is a leak. Instead, you may notice a musty or damp odor in the home which often is a sign of mold and/or water damage. Lifeline Inspection Services will now share how leaks can be found with infrared inspections.

Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera Working Principle

Infrared technology, or also known as thermal imaging, is a device that detects light from an infrared spectrum. On an infrared spectrum, the heat fluctuation inside the home can be detected which can reveal certain flaws within the home. Infrared technology helps inspectors identify leaks by the various temperatures within a home. Moisture or leaks causes cold spots where there shouldn’t be any. However, depending on the location of the leaks, infrared inspection may need to be done during the day and again at night. Particularly to properly detect roof leaks, infrared readings can vary between day and nighttime. Due to attic insulation and the roof underlayment, they can cause leaks to heat up and make it harder to pinpoint the location or cause of the leak.

Infrared Camera Water Leak Detection

When leaks occur inside the home, they are typically easier to locate with infrared inspections. When you can smell the odors of a leak, but can’t pinpoint its location, it is recommended to seek inspectors that provide infrared inspections. A professional home inspector will better know what infrared signatures to look for and better help the homeowner find the source and locations of the leaks.

Home Energy Efficiency Check

Infrared technology isn’t just used for locating leaks. Infrared inspection also helps to determine a home’s energy efficiency. Infrared inspections can help locate spots in a home where the air inside the home is escaping. During the hot summer, the air conditioning uses a lot of energy to cool the inside of the home. During the winter, the heating system uses large amounts of gas or electricity to heat up the home. The treated air can escape through cracks in the home resulting in very poor energy efficiency. Often air will leak into or out of the home around doors or windows. At times, the air ducts can also develop leaks and cause lots of heat or cooling loss. With an infrared inspection, you can also pinpoint the site of air leaks within the home to better improve the home’s efficiency.

Buyers & Sellers Home Inspections & More in Fulton, Spalding, Coweta, Douglas, Pike, Upson & Fayette County, Georgia

Infrared inspection can greatly help the homeowner in many different situations. When water damage may be occurring, it is essential to locate the leak and repair them. Water leaks can lead to major damages and mold within the home. For homeowners with an outrageous utility bill, an infrared inspection can help locate air leaks inside the home. When needing infrared inspections service and more, contact Lifeline Home Inspections and schedule our services today.