The closet ceiling to the normal eye

The hidden leak caught with my infrared camera

What is the advantage of having an infrared certified home inspector who uses a thermal imaging camera as part of their service? During a typical home inspection, there are several different problems that an infrared scan can expose that could otherwise go unseen. Today we will look at one of the more common problems that are found in a home inspection, water intrusion.

Above you see photos from a home inspection in Issaquah. The closet ceiling had been repaired and painted. The photo on the left shows the closet ceiling as seen on a typical walk through.  Because of the newly painted ceiling patch I took a photo. There was no visible signs of water damage at this time and there was no access to the attic space at this location. The photo on the right with the thermal image overlay shows that the roof leak above the closet had not been successfully repaired and was still leaking. I confirmed the presence of moisture with my moisture meter. Sometimes small leaks can go unnoticed on the surface for years until the damage to the structure finally begins to show on the surface.

You should always research the home inspector you are thinking about using to be sure that they are adequately qualified with the proper licensing, training, and background in residential construction or architecture. If your home inspector uses a thermal imaging camera, also be sure that they are certified by a reputable certification company to properly use the camera. Until next time, happy home hunting!