Go on an inspection with an IR camera. Watch new episode of NACHI.TV.

[Frank M. Carrio, CMI]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Jim writes:

Who's money? InterNACHI members aren't paying for thier IR cameras.... their client's are paying for them.

In business, for something to be a "waste of money" it would have to have a 0% ROI (return on investment).

Now granted, IR cameras can't compete with CMI where we have reports of CMI delivering 100 times its cost. And at only a 1-time fee of $375, it won't be long before we get to the point where it returns 500 times cost for some CMIs. That's a 50,000% ROI! But let's say the amortized cost of a camera is $150 a month... surely inspectors are either charging extra, increasing the number of inspections from its marketing value, or providing additional services with the camera that more than offset $150 a month. No?

Nick,
As a CMI inspector who has been in this industry for almost 37 years I have been watching the "have and have nots" debate the issues of using a thermal camera with great interest.

• I found the video to provide some really useful information and the "visuals" were really great.
• I would like to see more videos using a thermal imaging camera.

I watched with great interest as Ben identified the problem area along the upper horizontal section of the beam and then identified the fact that enough "moisture" had accumulated to actually drip down the beam and leave water marks / "trails".

I then waited and waited for him to do a "Thermal Scan" of the water marked horizontal sections and to do a "thermal scan" of the drip marks.
If you will review the video you will see that this "Thermal Scan" never took place. That is my concern. I am thinking that if I identify a problem area and then fail to properly scan it and fail to take thermal pictures that I could expose myself to a lawsuit for "neglect.

Ben is the instructor. He made a "Professional Training Video" specifically to "train us." If he missed this then what hope does a rookie have?
{The answer is obvious..... Both seasoned inspectors and Rookies need to train, train, train!}

So..... What do we do? Give up? Not use the camera? Point out one mistake and say.... See! See! The instructor missed an important section and failed to "Thermally" document a wet area and that PROVES that Thermal Cameras will only get you in trouble! {The sky is falling! The Sky is falling!}

All I can say is this.... I do not own a Thermal Imaging camera. Until I saw the video I had no idea of what they can and cannot do for an inspection.

After watching the video I believe that this type of camera is a VALUABLE tool and I believe that it is and can be a tremendous asset to any and ALL inspectors no matter if you are an old seasoned veteran or a rookie.

Because of the expense It is too bad that we cannot "rent" this type of camera and "upgrade" them every 2 - 3 years.

That being said ..... it reminds me of when the "Calculators" first came out. They were large, bulky, and cost $50.00 to $75.00 dollars! Now you can get them free or for less than $5.00!

I anticipate that in a few years the Thermal Cameras will be on sale at the large Home Improvement "Box Stores" for a few hundred dollars and that a "Thermal Scan" will be as ordinary and "everyday" as the common cold.


keep up the Good Work!

And.... Keep making the videos..... and Thank You for trying to educate our membership and not letting us stagnate in our old "Tried & True" methods!

[Billy Boerner]

Originally Posted by bdoles2

Case, what case?

I really have nothing to prove to anyone, the tool or "toy" as some call it pays my bills, makes my customers happy and keeps them coming back. What case do I need to be concerned with and explain to you guys?

This tool has helped improved my bottom line, increased my customer base, increased satisfaction of that customer base and increased the knowledge of many new homeowners in the metro Atlanta area.

Yeah, this tool is over rated . Maybe I'll just get rid of it and sell it on eBay and have to worry about a down housing market and worry about how to pay my own mortgage. Don't think so...

My wife has about 5 more weeks to work her 8-5 job behind a desk (downsizing, go figure), then she's coming on board to handle my marketing and sales. Now the only marketing I do is my website - word of mouth and referrals. I can't wait to be even busier when my marketing plan kicks in and she's taking the reigns of the entire marketing and management side. My point here is that before the IR camera I would have been squirming thinking she was losing her job, with the IR camera, I now encourage it.

I'm 35 years old, I don't have a pension kicking in. My financial success is dependent on me and me only. If I want to continue to live in my own house, have nice cars and take vacations here and there, I have to work hard. This "tool" is enabling me to achieve success that I did not have before.

Isn't there some convention in Colorado you need to be arguing about?

Have a very blessed day!

Jim,

I understand what your saying and your right. However, when it comes to impressing a client your word, your hand, and your moisture meter will always loose to pictures of a IR camera. I definately see Brian's position and that's the main reason why I'll be getting one as well. If it's proven to increase business like Brian states one would be an idiot not to get one.

Bill

[bdoles2]

Originally Posted by fcarrio

Because of the expense It is too bad that we cannot "rent" this type of camera and "upgrade" them every 2 - 3 years.

You can, just lease it. Nick posted contact information awhile ago about a company that will arrange this. I know of several people that are doing this.

Thread

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by bboerner

Jim,

I understand what your saying and your right. However, when it comes to impressing a client your word, your hand, and your moisture meter will always loose to pictures of a IR camera.

I am not in the business of impressing my client. My duty is to inform him so that he can make an educated decision.

I, like thousands of other inspectors have done over the last five decades, present my findings in a written report. If he doesn't want to believe what he paid for, that's his business.

My report is not an argument. It is an observation.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by gromicko

...surely inspectors are either charging extra, increasing the number of inspections from its marketing value, or providing additional services with the camera that more than offset $150 a month. No?

No. Not all.

[Frank M. Carrio, CMI]

Originally Posted by bdoles2

You can, just lease it. Nick posted contact information awhile ago about a company that will arrange this. I know of several people that are doing this.

Thread

Brian,
Thanks for the information. I found it to be very useful.

[Richard L. Bennett]

Nick

Your brother is not a good actor etc. and liike you should not be a NACHI TV program

That one sucked

Sorry

I would take that one off the menu

That one was very bad

I don't think he even knew how to run the camera -- what he found did not need the camera -- and the use of gloves on the crapper give me a break - I use the public rest room at the local gas staition as needed - TB is free - and I do not put gloves on

Give me a break --

rlb

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Actually, he did correct himself and say that the ceiling had a different appearance at that point than the rest of the ceiling. A hand to feel the coolness and a moisture meter to verify the moisture and...bingo...that's all you need.

Thank you for the tip, Mr. Super Inspector!

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by wdecker

Thank you for the tip, Mr. Super Inspector!

You're welcome, Mr. Biblical Scholar.

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by jbushart

I am not in the business of impressing my client. My duty is to inform him so that he can make an educated decision.

I, like thousands of other inspectors have done over the last five decades, present my findings in a written report. If he doesn't want to believe what he paid for, that's his business.

My report is not an argument. It is an observation.

So, to paraphase:

1) I don't care what my clients care about me.
2) As a result of #1, I don'ty care about referrals from past clients or keeping my past clients happy.
3) I don't care about doing superior inspections, using the latest tools and techniques, I just want my check and to never hear from them again.
4) I have been doing this for "the last five decades" and, therefore, know more than anyone else and this will never change and I am the best and anyone who says different is a person who I should spend my time stalking and deriding. (Kinda sounds like an ASHI guy, don't it ).

Codes (and old time inspectors) change nothing.

Hope this helps;

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by wdecker

So, to paraphase:

1) I don't care what my clients care about me.
2) As a result of #1, I don'ty care about referrals from past clients or keeping my past clients happy.
3) I don't care about doing superior inspections, using the latest tools and techniques, I just want my check and to never hear from them again.
4) I have been doing this for "the last five decades" and, therefore, know more than anyone else and this will never change and I am the best and anyone who says different is a person who I should spend my time stalking and deriding. (Kinda sounds like an ASHI guy, don't it ).

Codes (and old time inspectors) change nothing.

Hope this helps;

For such an ignorant *****hole, you certainly do little to try conceal it.

Your "paraphrasing", as usual, is totally wrong and a fictional account from your own feeble mind. You do not speak for me or represent anything I stated. Stop stalking my posts, Willy.

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by jbushart

For such an ignorant *****hole, you certainly do little to try conceal it.

Your "paraphrasing", as usual, is totally wrong and a fictional account from your own feeble mind. You do not speak for me or represent anything I stated. Stop stalking my posts, Willy.

So, change your ways.

Rather than just calling names and trying to dismiss people, answer my arguement.

Where was I wrong in my assesment of your post?

Here is your original post:

"I am not in the business of impressing my client. My duty is to inform him so that he can make an educated decision.

I, like thousands of other inspectors have done over the last five decades, present my findings in a written report. If he doesn't want to believe what he paid for, that's his business.

My report is not an argument. It is an observation."

Tell me, in detail, where I was in error.

[Nick Gromicko]

Richard, none of the on-site inspectors on NACHI.TV are actors, that's the idea, a real inspection. Paige was one of my friends outside of NACHI.TV and not an actress at all before I talked her into going in front of a camera. She had never been in front of a camera prior to her first episode on www.nachi.tv Same for Kenton, just the (only one) inspector in my little town of Nederland up in the mountains.

Anyway, I don't think there is anyone who has done more inspections with an IR camera than Ben. Many thousands at Peach Inspections. He used his on every inspection, 2-3 inspections a day for years.

You and Jim are correct in that there was probably nothing found with the camera on that inspection that couldn't be found without it except for maybe the toilet wax seal leak under the carpeting.

Permanently installed carpeting around a toilet, even one that isn't leaking, is a health hazard. In the town I used to live in as a home inspector, it was a code violation of that town, prohibited, and so we used to call it out as something that needed to be corrected. Gloves? I'm not sure what good they would do in finding moisture, but I did have an inspector who worked for me who put on gloves before inspecting a bathroom to lift the toilet seat and/or lift the carpeting around a toilet. Ben's idea of leaning your knee against the toilet bowl to see if it is loose is probably a good idea...especially if inspecting that gas station mens room!

[Richard L. Bennett]

Nick

10-4 on 90% of you post

I sorry but it just came off real sad to me. Nothing personal and now I know why I am NOT on TV

rlb