The Flashing, Flashing, Flashing post has already brought in business. Another person in the same neighborhood, impressed by my Superman ability to see non-existent flashing (cough!), invited me over to investigate this same flashing problem on their house. While there I also did an IR examination.
It seems that in addition to water stains, the bedroom also is hot and cold. Looking around with an infrared camera, it isn't hard to see why.
This is blown up larger than normal, and grainy, but you can still see what is happening. Part of the room has a pentagon shape, with a long attic space behind the bed.
You can see the bed at the bottom of this image.
The wall behind the bed is about 6 feet high. The attic space behind is quite hot.
The Max is the hottest spot in the image. It is 131 degrees.
Keep in mind, this is right behind the bed!
The area you are looking at represents the space between two studs, and no insulation below about 5 1/2 feet.
The insulation was never stapled and fell down.
Looking into the attic, it was resting right on the floor.
Keep in mind, this house is just over one year of age. That is how quickly insulation can slip.
Imagine what can happen on a tall balloon wall!!
The image to the right is along that same wall. It is to the right of the bed and in the corner.
The same situation exists - the insulation was never stapled, it has fallen and the Max hot spot you see is 135 degrees!
That will influence a room, just a bit...
This represents the 12th image taken in that room. There were more than two spots along that attic space wall. In that room alone, here were 23 pictures taken in total!
Imagine how hot and cold this room can get!
This is the cathedral ceiling in one alcove of the bedroom. It is the end of that same pentagon shape described in the first image.
The line in the middle is the center double stud from floor to the highest point. The height here is about 10 feet.
The insulation on both sides of that double stud was not stapled. The Max temperature there is 166 degrees Fahrenheit!
There is only air between this drywall and the outside of the house. This spot just happened to be in the sun on this particular day at the time I was there.
Even though the thermostat is in this room, and it has its own HVAC return, this room was uncomfortably warm. A ceiling fan does not help.
It probably is uncomfortably cold in the winter.
How can you control the environment there when it is so poorly insulated? There were 23 problem spots in this room.
I went to investigate one problem, and found a few others. This was not the only room with the hot/cold issues. There were many other spots in many other rooms throughout the house. It was a very long thermal image report.
This particular home represents one of the worst insulation jobs I have seen in a long time. They are out there. I had a previous post over a year ago entitled "What I Am Seeing Now," which identified insulation that is not stapled as being a big problem. You can see why. Despite what the builder says, the drywall does NOT hold it up over time. Insulation that is not stapled is simply poor quality, unprofessional work.
People love looking into the camera with me. It can be horrifying! It can also be fun...
I took a picture of a young lady a couple of months ago. She was five months pregnant. The baby's form was clearly visible! I am sure they framed the photo I emailed them!
My recommendation: If you can get an IR inspection on a house, do it before the one year warranty walk through. That way, issues like this can be corrected before your clients have to live with them.
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC 
Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia.
Office (703) 330-6388 Cell (703) 585-7560
Wow, I wasn't aware that you could pinpoint a location where there is no insulation. ..thank you for sharing this with us.
Wow, Fernando, you are up almost as early as I! Go to bed man!
Jay,
This is really cool. Technology has advanced. I thought my laser temp. reader for a/c vents was cool but this is amazing. Only a year old? They sure don't build them like they used to!
Have a Great Day!
Dick and Dixie Sells
the right tool makes all the difference, learn something new every day. thank Jay
That's really fascinating, "seeing through walls".... bionic assets have to be great for business :-) It's great to remove the mystery from those spaces you would normally have to just trust the builder on.
Technology just gets more amazing. I agree though, time for beddybye
I'll be back to Re-Blog you later.... love the last line.
Jay, great use of technology to explain problems and poor workmanship, thanks.
Fascinating is the word.
I think I need a home inspection.
That is amazing. Learn something new everyday on Active Rain.
Jay, I have never heard of this? Is it a machine or a camera you buy? Can you post a photo of the baby in the womb? I would love to see that?
Jay,
The home inspector I recommend uses the thermal imaging camera too and the results are phenomenal.
Rich
Jay,
This is pretty "cool." LOL Seriously, I built 350 homes in another life, and this has me wanting to go out and buy a thermal imaging camera. Better go google that.
Mike in Tucson
You're preeching to the choir brother. I have been using an IR camera for years. I know what you see because I see it too.
That was from a home that was a year old? I guess it pays to have a home inspection even on newer construction.
Jay,have you thought about presenting summaries of your findings to the local/county/state building commissions and the entities that grant building permits? It appears that these contractors are building "to code," and we both know what that means. The code is obviously defective. I can't think of a better guy to pave the way to get those codes changed.
Jay, That is a very interesting post. I never gave much thought to insulation before, but now I will.
Wow Jay, I've never seen IR photography use in home inspections before - That's pretty neat!
Yes, the right tools make the difference with everything Thanks for the post.
Patricia aulson/
Dick and Dixie - I have had this camera for five years and it is terrific. The price now is about one half of the price I paid!
Diego - If you are in lawn painting, you know that to be true!
Mara - may I quote Ronald Reagan? "Trust, but verify..."
Nite, nite Janice.
Maureen - thank you... again....
Gabe - the IR camera is a great arrow in my quiver of tools.
Lenn - I have been finding this kind of stuff for nearly five years!
Cindy - my camera is five years old and I think the new cameras/software may be better yet!
Missy - it is a special camera with special software. It sees very long light waves, not detectable by the human eye. It is perfectly safe and is currently being used to see problems in the body. I can look at my knee and see where the arthritis is the worst. I no longer have that photo of the baby in the womb. Maybe next time!
Richard - I think in a couple of years ALL home inspections will come with an IR analysis as part of the service.
Mike - you use that word as if it is a verb! Google... actually we all use it as a verb now.
I know James. It still is not catching on with most realtors. It will I think. You are much more able to publish the large photos and make them less grainy. I am not that much of a computer whiz yet!
Integrity Mortgage - um, YESSS!
Lanna - I don't know what another layer of code on top of a code will do. It is lousy workmanship, pure and simple.
Michelle - you are in Florida! You should not only think insulation, but MORE insulation!!
Dan - I've been doing them for five years now.
Patricia - home inspectors are getting more and more technologically empowered and we are taking advantage of it. But thanks!
I was thinkin' the same as Lenn. So next time you fly into LV.... :)
(that would be a bus driver's holiday, right?) Kate
Kate - I have been to Las Vegas only once, on a short layover flying from LA to DC! And I would imagine that IR investigations there are interesting to say the least! Just using the camera would make it a fun trip... I'll think about it!
Jay - I have heard of this technology, but never have seen what it actually produces. Thanks for sharing. This is good information to know about.
Troy - it has been around for a while, for me, at least, for five years. The new equipment and software is better than my camera I think, but it is still doing very well!
This is just too cool for school! I think I was expecting you to say you saw some "ghostly" forms with this machine! As usual, very imteresting post!
Susan - I have never seen a ghost. Can you do that with an IR camera? If so, I have not heard about it, but now I will look harder!
Apparently, spirits from the other side often produce strange thermal readings-both hot and cold. Just what I've read--not experienced!
Susan - that probably isn't unusual - I know people on "this" side who produce hot and cold thermal readings... (;>)
Great idea Ray! We try, we really, really try...