What difference does Infrared make with a home inspection?

We’ve recently noticed a rash of home inspecting services claiming they offer ‘complete IR services’, and we’re here to deliver some words of caution to all those out there itching for an infrared home inspection.

Choose your Infrared Home Inspector with Caution!

The ‘IR’ services most home inspectors are advertising are really a gimmick rather than providing you with any real information about the condition of your home. The typical home inspector may have purchased an infrared camera, but without the right training you won’t be getting anything more from an infrared home inspection. The fact is that a quality infrared home inspection requires the right equipment and the right training.

How do I know my home inspector can do an infrared home inspection?

Those home inspectors advertising ‘IR’ services without adequate equipment or training are giving the entire profession a bad name. Please look for these warning signs that the home inspector does not have the right experience and training:

• The home inspector says they need just a couple hours to do the inspection. (Not true. A real home inspection requires at least 4-6 hours to do it right.)
• The home inspector says it will be easy to identify water leaks. (Even the most experienced IR inspector knows that finding moisture problems is difficult – even with the aid of an infrared camera. This investigation will take time, a very thorough knowledge of local building techniques, and preparation and still it may not be conclusive. That’s the nature of the beast, unfortunately.)
• The home inspector says they’ll do the infrared inspection during daylight hours. (Not a good idea. Most real home infrared home inspectors will want to see the home’s exterior prior to sunrise or after sunset to look for temperature differences.)
• The home inspector says they can do only an interior or exterior scan and get you all the detail you need. (Any home inspector worth their salt will scan both the inside and outside of a property to compare the differences between the surfaces and better understand the property’s condition.)