Hi all inspectors, anyone using the FLIR E6 infrared camera. Interested in purchasing this model. Around 2600.00 . About my budget at this time. Any advise would be appreciated.
All the IR experts here say purchase the C2…LOL
Seriously if it gets your feet wet go for it unless you wish to wait till you retire and walk till till you can afford a $15,000 model.
The whole thing here is to get training and with a small budget you may not be able to afford the level one and two training you actually need.
Are you aware of what training costs are because it should be factored in ?
Why interNACHI says I’m not a member I have no clue…been a member the last 2 years. Have a wi. license. Is the Flir e6 a decent model for infrared inspection. Took the course from nachi. Have certification. Which I know means nothing, but its a start. What’s everybody using out there?
John, you have to log into the message board with your InterNACHI member username and password.
So, you have the Nachi Certification, but you are unable to determine if a particular camera is suitable for home inspections??? What’s that say about the course and certification! :neutral:
It says our IR courses are not camera-centric for a very obvious reason… they’d have to be updated each and every time a new camera or camera feature was released by the IR manufacturers. Jeff, if you thought our courses addressed different IR cameras and models… you are very incorrect. You’re way off there… way off. You can’t expect to learn to build a china closet from a course that teaches you how to properly run a table saw.
Anyway, there are plenty of camera-centric courses out there that focus on different models, features, and the camera’s buttons. Our courses focus on what the camera is focused on.
Also, much of what you can use an IR camera for is water intrusion. It’s arguably the most important use. So I would also recommend this course for anyone thinking about buying an IR camera: http://www.nachi.org/moisturecourse.htm
Remember, your understanding of the features and specs of the the brand and model of IR camera you are holding isn’t as important as what you are pointing it at.
The whole purpose of having home inspectors use IR cameras isn’t because home inspectors have a particular understanding of camera brands, models, and features. It’s because home inspectors know which direction to point the camera. Home inspectors have a holistic understanding of homes, not a specific expertise in cameras. The camera is but a tool used by the inspector.
In addition to Nick’s comments, I think some people are under the impression that if you take one or two of the InterNACHI Infrared specific courses that you are then allowed to use the InterNACHI Certified Infrared logo. That is not the case. If you read the requirements, you must take a lot of other courses as well (Inspecting the Interior, Moisture Intrusion, and a bunch of others which in total is approximately 70-80 hours of courses). Please do not use the InterNACHI Infrared Certified logo if you have only taken one or two of the Infrared specific courses…that’s not how it works, unless something has changed. Nick?
Correct.
And learn how to use your particular brand/model IR camera and its features… something our courses don’t cover.
Nooo… never said that or inferred that, and you damned well know it!
If “getting certified” in any class, one should at least learn about the principals of IR, and about what basic specifications are needed to perform a quality scan of different materials.
Your half-assed statement above is akin to you showing up for your first day of work at McDonalds, and nobody explaining to you how to turn on the deep fryers or flat top!
You can take all the camera-centric courses out there, but if you aren’t a home inspector with a holistic understanding of homes, the tool is useless to you.
It’s akin to a health physicist doing a mold inspection on a home without an understanding of roof leaks, plumbing leaks, drainage, downspouts, gutters, sump pumps, grading, condensation, ventilation, etc. Worthless.
It is indeed wise to know the minimum specifications that are required in an IR
camera in order to do a building inspection at a professional level. This saves the
new student from spending money on an inferior camera or searching through the
endless opinions on the internet.
To the topic at hand, … yes the e6 is a good entry level infrared camera for a building
inspection and it meets the RESNET standards of the needed resolution.
We created our two day infrared webinar class in order to engage the students in
some intense issues regarding IR building inspections. One of example that we
cover in the class is regarding the 900 pound gorilla called Delta-T. This one issue
is very intense and the methods used to operate within a good Delta-T environment
can be elusive sometimes. Learning how to manipulate your environment, or work
within the window of Delta-T that mother nature gives, you can be a challenge to
learn in the real world.
How important is Delta-T? … We demonstrate in our webinar class that poor Delta-T
can cause an entire set of steps to disappear from the view of your IR camera. If that
can happen, then think how easy it is to miss a little moisture spot that might be
several days old and is part of a major water leak issue related to mold in the walls.
That is why we say the battle with Delta-T … is like fighting with a 900 pound gorilla.
If you don’t fully understand it and recognize it when it shows itself, you can have IR
blindness and will not even know it. Training can save your bacon.
A huge amount error can be avoided if the student can learn how to draw anomalies
to the surface so the IR camera can see them. Easier said than done.
Hope this helps,
John McKenna
http://www.infrared-certified.com
I know what cameras are suitable for using. All I’m asking is what’s everybody using out there. I took all the nachi courses and then some. Just would like to know what everyone is using. Thank u all u HI.
I use a Flir E8 and love it. I really like the extra options and setting that it has.
That’s not how I read this post…
:-k
I wouldn’t use it. I would consider using an E60 or E60BX.