keeping up with the pictures

Specific Inspection Topics Thermal Imaging, Infrared Cameras & Energy Audits
1

How are you guys going about keeping up with the pictures on cameras that do not have voice notes are PIP? I have the Bcam SD
I did a large home 4,500sf and found lots of problems. When I sat down to write the report I had a heck of a time remembering what picture was what.

Thanks’
Mark

2

Put the date and time stamp on your IR pictures and your digital pictures.
Problem solved.

3

I don’t use IR, but for regular pics I take a pic of the whole room (or area) as a first shot. Any pic following that will be in that room or area, until the next “entrance” shot.

I imagine you could do the same with IR.

4

All good points.

Here is what I did when I had my BCAM. I would clear the memory cards from both cameras IR and Visual (start from 1). I would shoot both IR and Visual one after the other. Having my visor/camera mount also helped.

5

I have a picture log that I use, basically it has a JPEG # with a description then next to it a IR # with a description. It does get confusing especially if you do two in one day.

6

Peter, memory cards are so cheap ($20) that you might want to just pick up a second memory card for the 2nd job. Or , many cameras can create folders for separate jobs which you can use as well.

7

Pick up a cheap digital voice recorder and when you save an image to your camera, dictate the image number into the recorder and make any comments you might have. You can pick up voice recorders for around $50.00. It will save you a lot of time writing stuff down and trying to ready your own writing after the inspection.

8

Ditto what John recommends, and develope a routine for each room. For example, always go in a clockwise motion, then scan each wall top to bottom, from left to right, when you find an exception, then zero in on it, snap a couple more photos then move on to the next room.

9

I do quite a few IR inspections and have the routine down so I’ll stay with what works for me. Having two cards doesn’t help because it’s trying to remember what each IR picture is or what it was. After taking a couple of hundred pictures, digital and IR in one day they can get confusing. I like the voice recorder idea but many times you may have the seller or Realtor up your you know what and would like to keep your thoughts to your self.
All good ideas though

10

Memory cards are great but the most important thing you must do is to establish a starting point in every home. I always start my IR inspections at the front door and I work my way around the first floor until I reach my starting point (front door). I then get a picture of the stairs and start the second level the same direction.

With this method, I’ve never had an issue with identifying an image on my report software.

11

I do the same as David but I also take notes describing the shots…(up n/e bdrm looking north)…or some such.

12

I use my visible light camera in conjunction with my IR camera. When I’m about to capture an IR image, I freeze the frame then take a visible light image of the IR camera display and use the voice annotation feature of my digital camera to identify room, area, anomaly being recorded, etc. Once I’ve done this I record the frozen IR image to the thermal cam memory and take a visible light image of the target. This allows me to match up my digital and IR images, regardless of how many images I capture with either.

It may sound complicated, but it’s really very straightforward and beats taking notes on paper. I can also go back at any time in the future and know exactly what I was doing because all of my notes are stored with the images.

13

I use this camera
It takes infrared and digital pictures simultaneously.

http://www.flirthermography.com/cameras/specs_pop.asp?camera_id=1111

14

My imager does not have PIP so I use an additional digital camera. Clear cards on both, snap photo with imager then with digital. May use a notepad or voice recorder also depending on conditions found. After a few inspections you will find what works best for you and then move forward from there!!

15

[QUOTE]

Is that the Flir B360 Andrew?:cool: I want one of those cameras…wait a minute, I have one!! Great camera BTW

16

Here is an example of a field sheet I made in excel and have been using for years with inspections. In 2003 I even started using a PDA to do all of the annotation so that whoever puts the reports together doesn’t have to decipher my hand writing. This is a pretty formal one but it can be as simple as writing down the Room your in and the number of all pictures in that room. Nice thing about the form on a PDA though you can just copy and paste when you make the report. Goes very fast- go to the area to copy on the workbook. Ctrl-c, alt-tab, ctrl-v, alt-tab, use the directions keys to move to the next place to copy from, Ctrl-c, alt-tab, use the directions keys to move to the next place to paste, Ctrl-v, etc… Takes longer to explain then to do.
Infrared Field Sheet

  Homeowner Name:             Date:            Home Location:             Report   Title:         I#   IR#   PIC#   ROOM   LOCATION   PRIORITY   PROBLEM       1   198   052709_01   Living Room   NW   Wall    4   Missing   Insulation       2   199   052709_02   Dining   Room   West   Floor to Wall   3   Wet       3   200   052709_03   Bobbies   Room   Closet   2   Wet to touch

Hope this helps.