Your investment is too important not to have a home inspection!

PO Box 92, Biwabik, MN 55708

218-206-2080 // 866-439-4909

218-206-2080 // 866-439-4909

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    • Home
    • Services and Fees
    • Safety protocol
    • Aerial Imaging
    • Thermal Imaging
    • Contact
    • Pre-Winter Marketing
    • Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Services and Fees
  • Safety protocol
  • Aerial Imaging
  • Thermal Imaging
  • Contact
  • Pre-Winter Marketing
  • Privacy Policy

True North Home Inspection™, LLC

True North Home Inspection™, LLCTrue North Home Inspection™, LLCTrue North Home Inspection™, LLC

Professional Home & Commercial Inspection Services ~ Northeastern MN

Professional Home & Commercial Inspection Services ~ Northeastern MNProfessional Home & Commercial Inspection Services ~ Northeastern MNProfessional Home & Commercial Inspection Services ~ Northeastern MNProfessional Home & Commercial Inspection Services ~ Northeastern MN

Thermal Imaging

In-floor heating

Indication of moisture intrusion

We utilize FLIR imaging technology as a standard tool on every inspection.

True North Home Inspection, LLC

True North Home Inspection, LLC

True North Home Inspection, LLC


truenorthhomeinspect@gmail.com

218-206-2080

www.truenorthhomeinspection.com

 

FLIR Camera

True North Home Inspection, LLC

True North Home Inspection, LLC

Infrared images are designed to illustrate areas of thermal temperature differentials. Rather than recording visible light, thermal cameras create images from heat. The photos will show fluctuations in hot/cold energy radiating from the area being photographed. 

A Better Altitude, LLC

True North Home Inspection, LLC

A Better Altitude, LLC

  

info@abetteraltitude.com

218-212-3925

www.abetteraltitude.com

Thermal Imaging Service

True North Home Inspection, LLC and A Better Altitude, LLC are teamed up to assist home owners gain a new perspective of the energy efficiency of their property.


Utilizing our combined thermal imaging equipment, your Thermal Imaging Record allows you to ‘see’ how your structure(s) are performing from the exterior at the time of the imaging session. This information can offer opportunities to make your home more energy efficient, which can help reduce your heating/cooling costs.


How the service works:

  1. You request a Thermal Imaging Session.
  2. Our FAA 107 certified and insured drone pilot, accesses your property and uses our equipment to capture dual images – normal for reference and thermal – from all elevations, including roof structures.
  3. Your Thermal Imaging Record is generated on-site and delivered on a 2 GB USB flash drive, along with a general interpretation guide.


* To minimize the cost of this service, scheduling is coordinated by grouped locations and weather.

Thermal Imaging Guide

Infrared images are designed to illustrate areas of thermal temperature differentials.  Rather than recording visible light, thermal cameras create images from heat. 

The photos will show fluctuations in hot/cold energy radiating from the area being photographed.


The images are taken with two types of specialized equipment – a hand-held camera and a drone mounted camera. Both cameras take a double set of each – one regular photo for referencing and the corresponding thermal image.


Interpreting Your Images:

It is important to remember that temperature fluctuations are measured within a set of parameters. The hand-held camera thermal images automatically show a “thermal range” at the right of the photo. This thermal range will show the correlating colors with the coldest temperature being recorded at the bottom of the range scale and the highest temperature that is being recorded at the top of the range scale. 


Additionally, a temperature reading is recorded at the center of the imaging area, which is displayed at the upper left of the recorded image. 


This range is affected by weather conditions at the time of the imaging session. Sunlight and its reflection can cause greater fluctuations.


The drone mounted camera parameters are not shown on the images, but are manually set to correspond with the current ambient air temperature at the time of the data collection. These parameters are similar to the hand-held.


The following collection of images represent examples of common conditions found with our thermal cameras ~


Examples

Example # 1 ~ Reference

Example # 1 ~ Reference

Example # 1 ~ Reference

  The thermal range is shown in the above image on the right. The temperature is illustrated from (negative) -5.4 degrees to 10.9 degrees on the Fahrenheit scale, with a focused, (center) temperature reading of 4.1 degrees. 


The photos can be somewhat alarming to look at, as if energy is literally pouring out of this house! But remember, we are seeing the results of a 16 +/- degree Fahrenheit thermal range in the example photo. 


In this example, you can see reflective energy as well as heat-loss energy at the windows. Windows and exterior doors from heated spaces will typically be showing isotherm measurements that are higher on the temperature scale. 


Even the most thermally efficient windows and doors will show higher readings due to reflective energy. 


You can also see a band of higher temperatures near the ground. This particular home is heated by in-floor hot-water tubing, which heats the concrete slab foundation. The slab temperature is higher than surrounding areas and shows as a thermal band.



Example # 1 ~ Thermal

Example # 1 ~ Reference

Example # 1 ~ Reference

  A rise in temperature is visible at the top of the walls, also on either side of the windows. These would indicate wood framing members that act as ‘thermal bridges’, which are conveying heat energy at the exterior of the home. (This would equate to nearly identical features from the interior, but opposite with blue or colder readings). These framing components consist of header material above windows and doors, king studs at the sides of the windows and doors, and vertical wall studs. You can also see a small area of energy loss at a wall vent, most likely for a propane fireplace with a pilot light.  


In other words, this image shows a very typical energy efficient home. Yes, there are areas of energy transmission to exterior, but there are no further measures the home-owner could take to prevent this typical energy transmission. Notice, even the trees are producing heat energy on a chilly Winter Day! .

Example # 2 ~ Reference

Example # 2 ~ Reference

Example # 2 ~ Reference

  1.   Heat loss at garage overhead doors and man door and dormer areas.  

Example # 2 ~ Thermal

Example # 2 ~ Reference

Example # 2 ~ Reference

Example # 3 ~ Reference

  1. Normal minor heat loss on roof ridge. Melting visible on left side of roof near the ridge, possibly indicating insufficient insulation. 
  2. Dormer areas show possible need for improved insulation, as well. 

Example # 3 ~ Thermal


3.  Lower right shows the heated slab thermal band. 

4.  You can even see a recent footprint at the garage back door.



Example # 4 ~ Reference

Example # 4 ~ Reference

Example # 4 ~ Reference

   

  1. Direct vent from heating system. Appears as extreme heat loss, but always reference the temperature scale. 
  2. Here it is only 10 degrees Fahrenheit.   

Example # 4 ~ Thermal

Example # 4 ~ Reference

Example # 4 ~ Reference

Example # 5 ~ Reference

Example # 5 ~ Reference

Example # 5 ~ Reference

  

  1. Normal heat loss from the windows and reflective energy.
  2. Thermal bridging at the wall frame and heat energy band at in-floor heated slab.

Example # 5 ~ Thermal

Example # 5 ~ Reference

Example # 5 ~ Reference

Example # 6 ~ Reference

Example # 6 ~ Reference

Example # 6 ~ Reference

Example # 6 ~ Thermal

Example # 6 ~ Reference

Example # 6 ~ Reference

  1. Gable truss framing above patio door is visible as thermal bridge.
  2. Thermal and reflective energy at sliding glass door.
  3. Possible insufficient insulation at wall near exterior light fixture.
  4. Note heat energy at electric plug-in timer.

  

True North Home Inspection, LLC and A Better Altitude, LLC assume no liability for their presence and use of their thermal imaging equipment on the premises during the imaging session. They also assume no liability for the accuracy of the interpretation of the information contained in the final Thermal Imaging Record. We make no claim to be licensed or certified Thermographers and offer no specialized interpretations of the images in this document. Images contained in this document are for reference only. 

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True North Home Inspection™, LLC

PO Box 92, Biwabik, MN 55708

218-206-2080 // 866-439-4909

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