Home Depot now rents out Flir cameras

[David P. Valley]

Now anyone can become a Thermographer over night. Home Depot is now renting Infrared cameras to anyone that walks in the door and hands over their money.

I truly wish these homeowners luck in properly detecting the anomalies and interpreting what they may be looking at in the screen of the camera...without IR education.




What's next? Maybe I might be able to rent some medical equipment to perform my own surgery! It's cheaper.

[Brandon Clark]

What a bunch of crap! Thanks FLIR!! I don't guess I can blame them since there in the business of selling Infrared Cameras but this is gonna put a major hurting on the Infrared Inspection industry.

It looks like Home Depot is advertising more to the inspector than the home owner.

A large majority will rent the cameras, not be able to get the results they need, then spread the word that Infrared isn't any better than a moisture meter while stating it's a rip-off.

Another large majority will misinterpret missing insulation thinking it's moisture behind sheet-rock so I expect were gonna have a good bit of clients who get burnt and swear they'll never use an Infrared Inspector again.

I guess we will also start seeing ALL INSPECTOR'S advertise Thermal Imaging because if they do happen to get a request for an Infrared Inspection, they'll just make a quick stop by Home Depot and pick up a cheap, beat-up rental camera.

I'm going to start marketing against this crap. I'm basically going to market that if your Inspector shows up with a FLIR rental unit from Home Depot than your inspector is a potential nightmare who's charging you extra for something that could end up costing you twice the money that's wrong with the house in the first place.

All the camera manufactures are going to try and do is sell as many cameras as possible. It's our job to join together and educate the public.

[James H. Bushart]

IMO, infrared isn't better than a moisture meter. You need both to make an accurate judgment when using it to report moisture intrusion.

[rking6]

GREAT! Another frickin road block on a technology that could have separated home inspectors a bit just got more obtainable for consumers! I think everyone that has been properly trained in IR and used an ITI for some time can probably tell you that it doesn't matter and that consumers and people "just picking up" a camera won't be able to do the same job but realistically all I care about is the perception that this is going to create. This is going to just "dumb down" the technology and you are now going to have people that think IR is easy to use and anyone can do. Anyone know what Home Depot is trying to charge for the rental and how long you get it?

[Russell J. Hensel]

This really upsets people? Why? They rent ladders, tools and trucks doesn't mean they are going to become home inspectors. You still need the knowledge as James states. I could care less.....bring it on, make it more known what thermal infrared is.

[Jason Kaylor]

I agree 100% with Russell. I was wondering why everyone would be upset about this. It will actually bring more public awareness to the IR industry. I basically can get almost everything you guys use as a demo (free) and yet I still hired a home inspector for my house...........along with 10-15 other service calls by misc trades.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jkaylor

I agree 100% with Russell. I was wondering why everyone would be upset about this. It will actually bring more public awareness to the IR industry. I basically can get almost everything you guys use as a demo (free) and yet I still hired a home inspector for my house...........along with 10-15 other service calls by misc trades.

From my observation, there are inspectors who have built their entire marketing plans around a particular tool that they use and... importantly... that others don't. The availability of the tool to the general public renders this marketing strategy moot.

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by dvalley

Now anyone can become a Thermographer over night. Home Depot is now renting Infrared cameras to anyone that walks in the door and hands over their money.

I truly wish these homeowners luck in properly detecting the anomalies and interpreting what they may be looking at in the screen of the camera...without IR education.

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What's next? Maybe I might be able to rent some medical equipment to perform my own surgery! It's cheaper.

Do you have a link?

[Jason Kaylor]

Originally Posted by jbushart

From my observation, there are inspectors who have built their entire marketing plans around a particular tool that they use and... importantly... that others don't. The availability of the tool to the general public renders this marketing strategy moot.

wow really?

They also rent tile saws, concrete saws, chain saws, tillers, wood chippers, hand tools.............and yet there are tons of tile contractors, masons, loggers, landscapers and the list goes on.

There have always been places to rent cameras from, including FLIR. Yet the industry just keeps growing.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

Do you have a link?

Absolutely....

http://www1.flir.com/homedepot

Check out the disclaimer at the bottom of the web page...

[Bruce A. King]

Home Depot does not reserve tools to rent so you would have to go and hope its there. If its not there and you already promised it now you have to make another trip. If you pick it up the day before and the client/agents causes a reschedule its lost money. Thank you home depot for making this risky for inspectors who can't affford a camera.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by bking

Home Depot does not reserve tools to rent so you would have to go and hope its there. If its not there and you already promised it now you have to make another trip. If you pick it up the day before and the client/agents causes a reschedule its lost money. Thank you home depot for making this risky for inspectors who can't affford a camera.

Not only that...IR cameras must be calibrated annually. I hope they have records of calibration on each and every camera.

And I'm sure there are going to be IR cameras that get dropped. WOW..what an expense to the customer who drops it. I'm sure they require insurance on a rental.

I feel that the rental of IR cameras won't last long....

[David P. Valley]

I just contacted a local Home Depot on this list to obtain pricing and they stated that the cameras will be in at the end of the month and that's when they will establish the pricing of an IR camera rental.

[John McKenna]

How much do other outlets charge to rent a FLIR i7...?

[Linas Dapkus]

An I-7 will not get you this: