What Is A Thermographer?

[Peter C. Russell]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

At our building science class, our instructor said the learning curve to understand the IR camera was very short, compare to learning building science.

The level II and level III Thermographers in the room said they were COMPLETLY lost when the course starting going over ALL the aspects of a building.

They all agreed that an infrared camera in the hands of a Level III Thermographer would be useless in analyzing a building.

Only a qualified and trained home inspector can make his tool work properly. The IR camera is only a tool, but it is the person's knowledge of buildings and their systems that makes the expert.

Give a new saw to a master carpenter and he can make it do wonders. Give a new saw to an idiot and he will be dangerous...

John, you are absolutely correct, when I took the building science course we had many students who where already level 1 certified but had trouble with building science.

I told Scott Wood that after receiving an 88 on the final exam that I felt I could have done better, his response was the level one guys had just as much difficulty with the science as I did with the theory.

[Charley L. Bottger]

Roy John M was the one that brought the word expert into play post # 1 Nick was just following his lead with the stairs. My statement was just basically concerning the idea of after 6 months of training using the word expert. A true expert in any field does not have to make that statement it is his actions that count. Yes I know you never stated you were an expert electrican I was just using that as an example. Yes I do support NACHI and I just ignore the ones that don't.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by rcooke

My disagreement is with Brian A. MacNeish , Brian who comes unto the NACHI site and Makes fun of the NACHI members and our training .
I feel it is wrong he is also pushing the New Canadian National Certification as the only way to go.

How many times have I "pushed" NCA on these boards? I can remember saying once that I support it for Canada in the same way as the trades have "Red Seal" certification and can move from one area to another without jumping through another set of hoops. My reasoning is that it would be better than having 3 or 4 different associations with different standards trying to be accepted as "the standard". I don't remember "pushing" the concept, just offering my opinion.

...Cookie

Roy:

Here are a few quotes from INACHI members:

"An expert that has had 16 hours of training"

"Kind of like a certified master inspector that has had 150 hours of breathing air."

"I agree very funny but also reality; amazing how easy to become an expert overnight"

"How about an expert witness??"

These were very cynical cuts at the various processes that are "Certifying" persons in short periods of time.


My statement:
"The designation "certifed" has lost value for me unless it is a from longstanding professional association that operates by industry concensus or by statute.................... not one of the walk-in or drive-through varieties!!!"


This was a general statement aimed at the building/ HI industry in general. Some of the franchisors train an inspector in less than 2 weeks and they become "system" certified. Would you consider that a "high standard". To become a CET (certified engineering technician) here takes 2-3 years of formal and job training. That has credibility to me.

Get this industry operating smoothly on the same standards for at least 2-3 years and then it would have more credibility also.

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by Brian A. MacNeish

Roy:

Here are a few quotes from INACHI members:

"An expert that has had 16 hours of training"

"Kind of like a certified master inspector that has had 150 hours of breathing air."

"I agree very funny but also reality; amazing how easy to become an expert overnight"

"How about an expert witness??"

These were very cynical cuts at the various processes that are "Certifying" persons in short periods of time.


My statement:
"The designation "certifed" has lost value for me unless it is a from longstanding professional association that operates by industry concensus or by statute.................... not one of the walk-in or drive-through varieties!!!"


This was a general statement aimed at the building/ HI industry in general. Some of the franchisors train an inspector in less than 2 weeks and they become "system" certified. Would you consider that a "high standard". To become a CET (certified engineering technician) here takes 2-3 years of formal and job training. That has credibility to me.

Get this industry operating smoothly on the same standards for at least 2-3 years and then it would have more credibility also.

I stand by my statements why should you a non NACHI member come into our home and Brag about what training we should have .
I still say you should be ashamed of your self.
If you are not satisfied with what is going on in Canada then lobby your associations to do some thing about it .
Tell me who does the training in your Group.
Tell me what has your Group done for the Home Inspection industry.
Your group had ridiculed NACHI from the get go.
NACHI is growing in Canada and continues to have training at reasonable prices for all home Inspectors .
Your group charges huge amounts for training and it is done by
part time home inspectors.
How about cleaning your own association before you come into our home telling us what we are doing wrong.
How about showing us where you get your Facts about the CMI from and what they are .
Tell us what are your facts about IR training and where you got this information.
I am not trying to say NACHI is perfect but by far it is better then any thing else out there.
NACHI has an open door to all policy why not get your association to do the same.

A proud NACHI member....Cookie

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[Bill Mullen]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

Give a new saw to a master carpenter and he can make it do wonders. Give a new saw to an idiot and he will be dangerous...

If NACHI has an award for the best line of the year, I nominate John for this one.

That statement fits so many situations in life, but in our industry, it certainly suits those who try to be 'experts' without proper training and experience.

Well said, John.

Bill Mullen

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Quote: Originally Posted by jmckenna1 Give a new saw to a master carpenter and he can make it do wonders. Give a new saw to an idiot and he will be dangerous...

Originally Posted by bmullen

If NACHI has an award for the best line of the year, I nominate John for this one.

That statement fits so many situations in life, but in our industry, it certainly suits those who try to be 'experts' without proper training and experience.

Well said, John.

Bill Mullen

I guess thats why iNACHI continues to Grow as the education available here for free or at a very reasonable cost is Boundless.
John of Course many know is our Great leader of the very successful CMI and is also a leading figure in the Home Inspection industry in fast growing section of Home Inspection ( infrared ) and the training of Home Inspectors .
Thanks John and continued success.
...Cookie
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[Barry Adair]

I was once my daddy's "spurt" does that count for anything around here?

[John McKenna]

When using the IR camera for doing home inspections, it really is an easy tool to learn about. The applications for it in other fields is where it gets much deeper. The best teacher, after your initial training, is actual field experience. A thermographer is just a play on the word photographer, just a different camera. One of the most simple uses of a IR camera is for inspecting a house. It's the building science that makes it hard to understand the thermal images, not the actual use of the camera. A Level III thermographer that does have a background in construction and building science cannot use the camera to inspect a house. Ask them. Becoming a home inspection thermographer takes a long time, not because of the camera use, but because of the the knowledge of building science and understanding the skills of defect detection. If you are already an experienced inspector, then using the IR camera properly will not take long at.