We have moved on from eyes. Humans evolve, and so do inspectors and the inspection industry as a whole. Center Grove Real Estate Inspections is on the cutting edge.
Over the past few years, inspectors have utilized newer forms of technology to address commercial and residential building issues. One such technology is thermal imaging. Thermal imaging detects an object’s infrared radiation and creates an image based on that information. This method is able to detect things the naked eye cannot see. In terms of building inspections, thermal imaging can detect moisture intrusions and can even track the movement within a building.
Two things that can degrade a building are moisture and heat. Such things attract termites, nature’s digesters. Using newer technology, we are able to analyze the moisture movement. Upon first inspecting a building, an inspector asks many questions. How do air and moisture move within this building? What is humidity doing to this building? What is the stack effect?
Stack effect is the movement of air into and out of buildings. I am sure you have been on an elevator and feel a draft. Have you ever wondered where that draft comes from? That is the stack effect and is an important element to consider while inspecting a building, especially older buildings.
Most homes, and other buildings for that matter, are older and builders did not consider energy in the design and during the construction. Energy at the time meant nothing to a building. That opinion, however, has changed. It too has evolved. The price of energy has now become more expensive than the components used to retrofit the buildings. How do we deal with this evolution of energy? Stack effect allows us to analyze the energy flow of a building. Technology, such as thermal imaging, improves our efficiency to look at the stack effect.
All of us deserve to live in a comfortable home and to work in a comfortable building. The inspection industry is more than inspection. It is about educating, creating an environment in which you can teach homeowners about the beating hearts of their homes. To understand a building’s heart, we as inspectors utilize the newest technologies.
Stay tuned for future installments of the evolution of the inspection industry. There will be videos and more in-depth looks at specific products and techniques.
-Jim
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