We’re now already well into December, so chances are its getting colder where you live. But how can you be sure your home is properly winterized and your heating system is working at maximum efficiency? That’s easy. With an infrared home inspection (which typically costs a few hundred dollars and up depending on who you hire) you can be sure to see the areas of your home that are performing well, or heavily lacking.
An infrared home inspection can easily point out air leaks. Take a look at all that cold air coming in from beneath the doorway.
The most common issues an infrared home inspection can detect are gaps & drafts. These air leaks are usually found around windows and doors, or even in often overlooked areas such as crawlspaces, attic fans, cooking vents or duct work. Even power outlets if improperly installed can be poorly insulated and a huge contributor to heat loss. What people often don’t realize is that having just a few vital leaks in your home construction can have the overall effect of leaving a window open all year, and that’s where all your hard earned money is escaping. Just by using a thermal imaging camera to conduct an infrared home inspection, you can easily spot and distinguish problem ares of where cold air is leaking in and where your heat is leaking out. Many times these leaks can be plugged by re-caulking molding or adding an additional insulator to the areas (even a piece of cardboard in some cases), which itself is a cheap and easy fix.
Another big issue with home heating in the winter is freezing pipes. Freezing pipes can often lead to a very hard winter if they burst. An infrared home inspection can easily point out pipes or older radiator systems that may be poorly insulated or even leaking. After the areas of concern are pointed out they can be properly addressed, avoiding potentially thousands of dollars in loss and damages to your home structure and personal belongings.
This thermogram from an infrared home inspection depicts a well insulated home.
Lastly, we all know hot air rises. If too much hot air is escaping your home through the attic chances are your ceilings and crawlspaces are not properly insulated. Conducting an infrared home inspection from the outside can easily point out areas on your roof where your heat (or air conditioning) is escaping, without having to crawl into the attic and get all itchy.
These are just a few ways how an infrared home inspection can help you guard your home against Old Man Winter and keep your family warm more efficiently. Remember, air leaks are a huge contributor to high home heating bills, and after a time if your over-tasking your appliances you’ll eventually have to replace them as well, costing you even more money. When you look at the situation of what can happen due to improper insulation, a few hundred dollars is a considerably small yet valuable investment in your property.
Infrared Home Inspection Equipment from SPI Corp
SPI Corp features the RAZ-IR line of affordable cameras to conduct an infrared home inspection. Visit our catalog for information and options, or call us today to discuss what thermal imaging cameras we have in stock that can save you money by helping you better insulate your home.