Free infrared inspection clinics for NACHI members.

[ekartal5]

Is there a big demand for this service? Will the average home buyer be willing to pay $500-$800 for an inspection on a three bedroom home even with this added benefit?

Erol Kartal
ProInspect

[jmichalski]

I think it can be marketed to more than just home buyers if done properly. I think this has significant markting potenetial, but I am not impressed by what I have seen so far and I really would like more specific info - especially about each brand of camera's limitations...

It could very well could be used for energy saving inspections (people are really energy cost conscious anymore), and possibly for mold inspections or other specialty inspections.

The real value though, may be in adding only $50 - $100 per inspection for the added service. If you do the average of 220 inspections, that adds up to the cost of the camera right there.

If you have any success marketing the other inspections, it is gravy.

[ekartal5]

Thanks Joe.

Since I'm in such an inquisitive mood..

If this tool is used during a home inspection, is the inspection still considered a limited visual inspection? What adverse affects if any, would this have on our liability? We are now using a tool that sees through walls. Are we liable for concealed defects?

Erol Kartal
ProInspect
Pretending he knows what he's talking about.

[jmichalski]

Like I said with the guy who claims to find hidden defects, I think liablity can be a concern.

It is all in the wording of the necessary disclosures and the inspection agreement, I would think. This is an area that I think could be navigated if it is made clear to the client that this is a tool that may help find hidden defects, but also has limitations and is not a guarantee to find all hidden defects.

I would suspect that the IR sellers have some language and training in this regard already prepared....

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by ekartal5

We are now using a tool that sees through walls. Are we liable for concealed defects?

Erol,

These devices do not see through walls. They measure surface temperature only.

Thermography is the use of an infrared imaging and measurement camera to "see" and "measure" thermal energy emitted from an object. Thermal, or infrared energy, is light that is not visible because its wavelength is too long to be detected by the human eye; it's the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we perceive as heat. Unlike visible light, in the infrared world, everything with a temperature above absolute zero emits heat. Even very cold objects, like ice cubes, emit infrared. The higher the object's temperature, the greater the IR radiation emitted. Infrared allows us to see what our eyes cannot. Infrared thermography cameras produce images of invisible infrared or "heat" radiation and provide precise non-contact temperature measurement capabilities. Nearly everything gets hot before it fails, making infrared cameras extremely cost-effective, valuable diagnostic tools in many diverse applications.

[gporter]

Great info.

[rdawes]

I don't do IR work (yet, still considering it) but have attended several seminars and had demos from all the major IR manufacturers. Some things that I've concluded so far:

1. IR detects temperature differential. That's all; it's not xray vision. Temperature differential may be caused by several things that a home owner may be interested in: moisture evaporation, insulation gaps, high resistance contacts in electricial systems (but only visible when carrying load), heat from undesired critters (WDI, rodents).

2. Lots of things must be understood to properly interpret the images. Thermal envelope, emissivity, the characteristics of the material being viewed, etc.

3. Proper training is a must or you will shoot yourself in the foot. Several sources offer training. Probably for a HI application, figure on a Level 1 course at 1 week and $1500 plus expenses, and a Building Science course for 1 week and $1500 plus expenses.

4. If you want to do a proper home energy audit, you really need to get a blower door and training on that too.

5. You absolutely need to have a contract addendum that spells out your limitations otherwise you will end up in court trying to explain why you promised to see thru walls and did not.

6. If you thought some realtors view HI as a deal killer, they view HI with IR as the kiss of death. Others may be more enlightened.

7. With a good camera and proper training, it will open up markets other than just HI. The FLIR web site has several applications posted. However these markets may already be well served by folks who have been in the IR business for many years. You will probably need a camera well above entry level to serve these additional markets.

[gbeaumont]

Hi to all,

there is certainly a lot more to thermal imaging than just a 3 hour presentation, but having attended the Tampa event earlier this week with Joe Burkeson, we both came away from the seminar with a great understanding of the potential for this technology, (and a burning desire to write very large checks to FLIR )

Regards

Gerry

[Greg Bell]

Glad to hear that it was useful.

I just signed up for the one in Orlando.

[gporter]

I just wonder if there is a market for it in Orlando. What do you think Greg.