Infrared imaging, sometimes called thermography, combines technical knowledge with specialized equipment as part of a home inspection to help identify problems “trapped” in the walls, ceilings and floors.

Moisture, perhaps leaking through a section of the roof or from a plumbing leak, can leave a “cooler” spot on the camera imaging allowing the inspector to alert you to a smaller issue before they become bigger problems.

Look at the image below and notice the “cooler” spot, which was a plumbing leak found in a brand new home. The leak was not visible or had not seeped through the two layers of drywall in the garage ceiling. However, it was clearly visible to the infrared camera and with other tools such as a pro-meter (moisture detector), which was reading 80% moisture in the ceiling. We were able to catch this problem before the new owner moved in.

Courtesy Peter Zipp © 2006
Photo shows plumbing leak found in the ceiling.