What is Thermal Imaging?

Hiring a Certified Residential Thermographer (CRT) for home inspections offers several advantages:

1. Expertise: CRTs are not just an inspector walking around with some fancy equipment. CRTs have undergone specialized training, ensuring they can accurately interpret thermal images. There’s more to it than just seeing whats hot and cold. 

2. Understanding of Heat Transfer: CRTs are trained in the three primary modes of heat transfer:

   • Conduction: Direct transfer of heat through a solid material.
   • Convection: Heat transfer through fluids (liquids and gases) due to temperature differences.
   • Radiation: Heat transfer in the form of electromagnetic waves, typically infrared radiation.

3. Understanding Emissivity & Reflectivity: CRTs are educated on the nuances of materials. Emissivity refers to a material’s ability to emit infrared energy. Reflectivity is about how surfaces reflect infrared radiation. Transmissivity is the proportion of infrared radiation that passes through a material without being absorbed or reflected. Misinterpretation can lead to inaccurate conclusions. This can cost home owners by falsely diagnosing, or missing important findings.

4. Comprehensive Analysis: Beyond just spotting anomalies, a CRT can often analyze the cause and provide recommendations.

5. Enhanced Inspection Quality: While the naked eye sees only the visible light spectrum, thermal imaging taps into the infrared spectrum, capturing temperature variances. This means CRTs can detect issues like moisture, insulation gaps, or electrical problems that might be invisible otherwise.

In summary, hiring a CRT means securing an inspector who has both the technical skill and knowledge to provide a detailed and accurate assessment of a home’s condition using thermal imaging.