4 Problems An Infrared Home Inspection Can Identify Before You Buy A House

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You know how important it is to have a home inspection before you buy a new house. You may even want the additional assurance you can get from an infrared inspection. This type of inspection can reveal damage not obvious to the naked eye.

Since inspections are done on the visible parts of a home, it's possible for hidden problems to go undetected. An infrared home inspection can give you peace of mind that you won't face an expensive home repair right after you buy the house. Here are four problems that can be found with an infrared camera.

1. Electrical Hotspots

An infrared camera works by detecting temperature changes and displaying different temperatures in different colors on a photo or video. This ability allows the camera to pick up hot areas around the house being inspected.

A circuit in the electrical panel might be glowing a different color than the other circuits and showing it's too hot, or there might be a hotspot on a wall that indicates overheated wiring. This is essential information to know before you buy a house since a home with electrical problems is unsafe, and the repairs could be costly.

2. Water Damage And Moisture

One of the primary reasons for using an infrared camera to do a home inspection is to look for leaks and moisture in the house. A seller could hide water damage so it isn't noticeable to the eye, but a thermal camera will detect moisture behind walls and even on the roof.

When a home has moisture problems, there is an increased risk of mold and insect problems. Plus, water damage might be an expensive repair since it could involve replacing plumbing, drywall, and flooring.

3. Pest Problems

An infrared home inspection can even find pests in the home. If animals, such as squirrels or rats, are sleeping in the attic, the camera will detect their warm body temperatures. The camera can even find insect colonies hidden behind walls. For instance, the camera might detect termites or even bees that have infested the home or attic.

4. Heating And Cooling Issues

A thermal camera can be used to look at how heat flows from a furnace or how cool air flows from an air conditioner. The camera could detect leaky ducts, poor insulation, air leaks around the home, and registers that aren't blowing air. An infrared camera can even see radiant heating under the floor so you can look for problem areas, and the camera can check for proper heating of a radiator and boiler.

An infrared home inspection provides you with information about a home that you would not know about otherwise. Since a home is such a huge investment and you might want to avoid the need for repairs, then having one of these home inspections could be a good idea when you're thinking of buying a house.

To learn more, contact a resource that offers infrared home inspections.


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