713-829-7732 (A+) BBB Rating
with optional 'INFRARED' Thermal Imaging
Home Inspections in Houston, Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Atascocita, Katy, Cypress, Tomball, etc...
Houston, TX 77001
ph: 713-829-7732
Rodney
You may already be familiar with Infrared Thermal Imaging, -OR- you may be wondering "What is Thermal Imaging" -OR- "What can Thermal Imaging do for Me?" WELL, in either case, You Came to the Right Place.
Here is a OVERVIEW of INFRARED Thermal Imaging, with my $5,000 Flir B-40 Infrared camera.
(Unlike some home inspection web sites, these pictures are NOT the same standard downloaded examples that you see over and over.)
These photos are just a small sample from MY ACTUAL PERSONAL INSPECTIONS and issues I discovered for my clients.
Please see a Great Example of 'Why' You Need a
'Quality' Thermographer, further down on this page.
Absolutely the BEST Home Inspector Home Inspections in Spring, The Woodlands, Conroe, Houston, Kingwood, Atascocita, Cypress, Katy and Tomball Texas
Room addition on back of house. Looks GREAT at first glance.....
Using the Thermal Imaging camera, it is VERY EVIDENT that the ceiling of the room has Absolutely 'NO' INSULATION!!!
Uninsulated ceilings like this can go undetected for YEARS, completely unknown to the homeowner. Areas like this DRASTICALLY INCREASE Utility Bills and put unnecessary strain and wear on Cooling and Heating Equipment.
Water Heater Leak slightly visible at base, but 'appears' to be Very Small, just on the base.
Using the Infrared Thermal Imaging camera, it is VERY EVIDENT that the leak is Considerably Larger, even wicking upward into the Drywall
Without the use of INFRARED Thermal Imaging, the apparent 'very slight' water heater leak would likely NOT have been identified or analyzed properly. Infrared Thermal Imagng indicated that the water had saturated the sill plate and 'wicked back upward' into the adjacent drywall.
NOTE: I then used the Infrared Camera on the opposite side of the wall in the bedroom closet. There were ‘no’ signs of damage, staining or wetness to the touch. However, infrared thermal imaging revealed that the wall and the carpet were both extremely moist. (The carpet subsequently tested for an 83-percent moisture content !!)
Analysys with the Infrared Camera was extremely beneficial and Revealed the Extent of the Issue to the Purchaser.
At the back door, there was a 'tiny' amount of discoloration on the baseboardson both sides.
Using the Infrared Thermal Imaging camera, it was Very Apparent that the baseboards were 'currently' wet.
This was detected even though it had not rained for 5-Days !!!
Without the use of INFRARED Thermal Imaging, it wold have been very easy to assume that the slight discoloration on the baseboards was old.
However, Infrared Thermal Imagng revealed that the baseboards on both sides of the door were 'currently wet', Even Though it had Not Rained for 5-Days !!!
INTERESTING NOTE: Take note of the 'Conductive Heat' transmitting in through the metal threshold under the door. Infrared Thermal Imaging during a home inspection is a tremendous tool when used to analyze areas of Hot or Cold intrusion into a home from the Exterior.
Roof Decking at PVC Pipe Penetration looks GREAT without Infrared Imaging
Roof Decking at PVC Pipe shows Excessive Water Leak and Decking Deterioration with Infrared Imaging
Leaks in Roof Decking can occur at Numerous Locations, even on roofs with recently replaced shingles. The leak pictured above was due to a cracked robber 'boot' around the PVC above the roofline. (These issues can go undetected for years, while allowing moisture and water into interior walls and promoting wood rot, decay, mold and other health related issues) A home inspector with an infrared camera can detect issues like this during your home inspection.
Damaged Roof Decking
(area is inaccessible)
'May' or 'May Not' be Wet
Damaged Roof Decking
(INFRARED Thermal Imaging)
Confirms area is 'currently' Wet
NOTE: The area pictured above was visible, but not accessible. Roof Decking deterioration was evident, however it was not evident whether there was no roof leak, a previous leak or a current leak. Usage of the Infrated Thermal Imaging Camera revealed that the roof leak was indeed 'current'. Infrared Thermal Imaging is a critical home inspection tool.
Main Service Lead into Breaker Panel, (looks GREAT without Infrared Imaging)
Main Service Lead into Breaker Panel, ** 232 DEGREES ** Obvious with Infrared Imaging)
The Main Service Lead pictured above was ACTUALLY 232-DEGREES, hanging on the side of the house. (THIS IS HOT ENOUGH TO 'BOIL WATER', right on the house) NOTE: This EXTREMELY DANGEROUS condition would have very possibly gone completely undetected without Infrared Thermal Imaging.
Clients Attic after sunset
(digital photo)
COMPLETELY DARK
Same Attic at Same time
(INFRARED Photo)
SEES EVERYTHING
(with absolutely NO visible light)
The photos above illustrate 'just part' of the Immense Power of INFRARED Thermal Imaging. It is 'extremely sensitive', can see 'heat and cool' differences anywhere, anytime and under almost any conditions. It can use warm and cool variations to spot insulation deficiencies, moisture intrusion, thermal envelope breaches and leaks in ductdork.
In this example, I was performing an inspection on a 4,900 sq. ft. $1,500,000 House. My client requested 'all' opf my Infrared Thermal Imaging services. Everything was going smoothly until, in the huge master bath, the Infrared Camera detected this massive potential problem area. Sure looks wet doesn't it !! Look, you can even see that water has run down the corner studs. Or has it??
Since the area in question was directly at the side of the house and in a drop-soffit or 'furr down' (dropped ceiling) it was impossible to access from the attic. I am confident that 'most' amateur or poorly trained 'so-called' Thermographers would have written it up as moisture intrusion, most likely from the roof. Most likely, they would have recommended that the client contract (pay) for a Roofing Specialist or Contractor to forther analyze the situation prior to the purchase.
BUT.... 'Is it Wet' OR 'Is it Not Wet' ???
This is where being a 'Quality' Thermograpter comes in. An infrared camera 'cannot' see moisture. What the camera 'does do' is scan a wall or any other object and detect 'variations in temperature' on the very surface. Any area which is even slightly damp will almost always be a 'tiny bit cooler' than the dryer areas adjacent to it. The infrared camera translates the cooler areas into a more purple/blue image as opposed to the warmer orange/yellow areas.
**OK, here comes the spoiler.... It is 'not' wet... It is as dry as a bone... BUT, 'why' does it look so wet and completely terrible?? Well, as you remember, the slightly cooler areas on the surface appear purple/blue in the image. This inspection was performed in the early spring on a very cool day. And guess what, area which 'appears' wet is actually 'just cooler'.... It is 'slightly cooler' because there was 'less insulation' in that very small area. The vertical purple/blue corner studs which also 'appear' wet are also just cooler, having retained more of the coolness from the prior night (since this is an exterior wall).
LESSON BEING.... When you hire an Thermographer to perform Infrared Thermal Imaging, it is extremely important to hire a 'Quality' Thermographer. Infrared Thermal Imaging 'must' be performed slowly and carefully. The infrared camera is not a tool a novice can use. The camera performs 'half the job', then, it requires a 'Quality' Thermographer to take the necessary amount of time to properly 'interpert' the image that the camera is displaying....
If you hire a low-quality Thermographer, or use a home inspector who (throws it in for free...) you take a much greater risk of getting a haphazard, incomplete and plssibly incorrect analysis. There is a risk of either 'completely missing issues' OR mis-analysis and being referred to other parties for additional, unnecessary costly followup.
If I can assist you woth your Infrared Thermal Imaging needs, please CALL ME.
Real Estate Inspection Specialist..
(offering 'INFRARED' Thermal Imaging)
Absolutely the BEST Home Inspector Home Inspections in Spring, The Woodlands, Conroe, Houston, Kingwood, Atascocita, Cypress, Katy and Tomball Texas
Cell: 713-829-7732
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ARTICLE of the Month - START
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Backflow Prevention
by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard
Backflow is the reversal of the normal and intended direction of water flow in a water system. Devices and assemblies known as backflow preventers are installed to prevent backflow, which can contaminate potable water supplies.
Why is backflow a problem?
Backflow is a potential problem in a water system because it can spread contaminated water back through a distribution system. For example, backflow at uncontrolled cross connections (cross-connections are any actual or potential connection between the public water supply and a source of contamination or pollution) can allow pollutants or contaminants to enter the potable water system. Sickness can result from ingesting water that has been contaminated due to backflow.
Backflow may occur under the following two conditions:
back-pressure:
Back-pressure is the reverse from normal flow direction within a piping system as the result of the downstream pressure being higher than the supply pressure. This reduction in supply pressure occurs whenever the amount of water being used exceeds the amount of water being supplied (such as during water-line flushing, fire-fighting, or breaks in water mains).
back-siphonage:
Back-siphonage is the reverse from normal flow direction within a piping system that is caused by negative pressure in the supply piping (i.e., the reversal of normal flow in a system caused by a vacuum or partial vacuum within the water supply piping). Back-siphonage can occur when there is a high velocity in a pipe line, when there is a line repair or break that is lower than a service point, or when there is lowered main pressure due to high-water withdrawal rate (such as during fire-fighting or water-main flushing).
Atmospheric Vacuum Breakers
Backflow prevention for residences is most commonly accomplished through the use of atmospheric vacuum breakers (AVBs). AVBs operate by allowing the entry of air into a pipe so that a siphon cannot form. AVBs are bent at 90 degrees and are usually composed of brass. Compared with backflow preventer assembles, AVBs are small, simple and inexpensive devices that require little maintenance or testing. They have long life spans and are suitable for residential purposes such as sprinkler systems. InterNACHI inspectors can check for the following:
The AVB must be at least 6 inches above any higher point downstream of the device. For this reason, they can never be installed below grade. Even if they are installed 6 inches above grade, inspectors should make sure that they are not installed less than 6 inches above some other point in the system downstream of the device.
The AVB cannot be installed in an enclosure containing air contaminants. If contaminated air enters the water piping, it can poison the potable water supply.
A shut-off valve should never be placed downstream of any AVB, as this would result in continuous pressure on the AVB.
AVBs cannot be subject to continuous pressure for 12 hours in any 24-hour period or they may malfunction.
Spillage of water from the top of the AVB is an indication that the device has failed and needs to be replaced.
Types of Backflow Preventer Assemblies
Some types of assemblies are common in commercial and agricultural applications but are rare for residential uses. The appropriate type of backflow preventer for any given application will depend on the degree of potential hazard. The primary types of backflow preventers appropriate for use at municipalities and utilities are:
double check valves: These are commonly used in elevated tanks and non-toxic boilers. Double check-valve assemblies are effective against backflow caused by back-pressure and back-siphonage and are used to protect the potable water system from low-hazard substances. Double-checks consist of two positive-seating check valves installed as a unit between two tightly closing shut-off valves, and are fitted with testcocks.
reduced pressure principle assemblies: These are commonly used in industrial plants, hospitals, morgues, chemical plants, irrigation systems, boilers, and fire sprinkler systems. Reduced pressure principle assemblies (RPs) protect against back-pressure and back-siphonage of pollutants and contaminants. The assembly is comprised of two internally loaded, independently operating check valves with a mechanically independent, hydraulically dependent relief valve between them.
pressure vacuum breakers: These are commonly used in industrial plants, cooling towers, laboratories, laundries, swimming pools, lawn sprinkler systems, and fire sprinkler systems. Pressure vacuum breakers use a check valve designed to close with the aid of a spring when water flow stops. Its air-inlet valve opens when the internal pressure is one psi above atmospheric pressure, preventing non-potable water from being siphoned back into the potable system. The assembly includes resilient, seated shut-off valves and testcocks.
Requirements for Testers and Inspectors
A number of organizations, such as the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA) offer certification courses designed to train professionals to test backflow preventers. Requirements for training vary by jurisdiction. Inspection of backflow preventers requires knowledge of installation requirements, although inspectors are not required to become certified.
In summary, backflow preventers are designed to prevent the reverse flow of water in a potable water system. They come in a number of different types, each of which is suited for different purposes.
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ARTICLE of the Month - END
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Pulte, KB, Kimball Hill, Ashton Woods, Trendmaker, Lennar, Village Builders, Chesmar, Darling, D R Horton, Beazer, David Weekly, Highland, Huntington, Patrick, Partners in Building, Plantation, Ryland, Toll Brothers,
Cell: 713-829-7732
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Home Inspector, Home Inspection, Infrared Thermal Imaging, Drone Roof Inspection, Spring Texas, The Woodlands Texas, Conroe Texas, Houston Texas, Kingwood Texas, Atascocita Texas, Cypress Texas, Katy Texas, Magnolia Texas, Tomball Texas
Houston, TX 77001
ph: 713-829-7732
Rodney