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Thermal Imaging

Thermal Imaging Camera Detects Gib Fixings and Ceiling Joists

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Are your contractors fixing the gib to the ceiling joists correctly?

 Our infrared equipment can instantly detect how ‘spaced’ the screws and fixings are behind just about any gib lined wall  (See photo below).

Recently I got a call from Auckland City Council regarding a dwelling that had been erected without council approval. What the council wanted me to find out, is if the timber framework was ‘fixed and spanned’ correctly behind the wall.

In the infrared photo below, you can clearly see the screws holding up the gib to the joists.  These screws are invisible to the human eye. Our thermal imaging camera is a quick, tidy and easy way to determine if the building construction is in line with the current building code, without ripping  down the wall/ceiling… 

Dark 'Dots' are Gib Screws Using Infrared
Dark 'Dots' are Gib Screws Using Infrared

 Is the structural integrity of your walls as solid as it should be? Is your home in compliance with New Zealands building code?

Thermal Leak Detector finds Expansion Joint Leak

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The source of leaks vary depending on structure in the area… and some can get really expensive to find!

This leak below was costing the company money by the minute.

Recently I got a call regarding a leak in several suites at a particular Hilton Hotel in NZ (I won’t name which one for privacy purposes). The short story is that it’s been ongoing for months… and I found the issue right away with my thermal leak detector (thermal imaging camera).

During the inspection I noticed that all the leaks were ‘lining up’ with eachother along the top of an interior wall (They couldn’t be seen with the human eye). On the deck above there was an expansion joint running directly along the line of leaks that I detected. This quickly solved the issue for the maintenance crew, because all they could see before I arrived was a single leak near the window… leading them to believe is was a possibly as isolated leak in that area, or some kind of joinery failure.

Here’s a photo of the leaks I found in just one room…

I’ve found many leaks with my infrared leak detector… and 70% of these leaks can’t been see visually!

A thermal imaging inspection could be the fastest way to detect a leak… especially if you need it found in a hurry. They couldn’t rent one of the rooms out due to visual moisture damage… expensive!

NZ Thermal Imaging Website – 5 Star Rating

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Great! This thermal imaging website has been given a ‘5 star’ rating!

Out of all the infrared websites around the world, the information on this website has caught the eye of some of the ‘big guns’ in the infrared world.

Here’s the criteria the association uses when selecting a website for this award:

“Web sites bearing the 5 Star Web site logo have distinguished themselves among their peers as one of the best resources on the internet today. 5 Star Web site recognition must meet the following criteria:

thermal imaging

1) Information on the web site must be easy to find.
2) The information offered by the web site must be timely and accurate.
3) A visitor to the web site must not be charged a membership fee.
4) The web site must positively promote IR Thermography or related PDM or NDT.
5) The web site must be referred to the Technical Editors of www.irinfo.org by a current member of the IRINFO Group. “

Thank you to all my clients throughout NZ… this award is also thanks to you!

Thermal Imaging Scan

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Here is exactly why you should consider a thermal imaging scan on the home you intend to buy…

When buying a home, one of the first things you need to do is determine if the home is leaking, and if there is any moisture issues that could cause future problems for you. A thermal imaging scan will detect signs of a leak fast.

We are infrared leak detection specialists, and we conduct many pre-purchase thermal imaging scans throughout NZ. Here is just another example of a hidden leak that was found in bedroom on a rountine property inspection (further confirmed with an invasive inspection)…

leak in wall

Don’t risk buying a home without a moisture test… too many home buyers have been ‘caught out’ rushing into ‘great deals’, and forgetting that in some cases the reason the deal is so good is because the home owner is aware of the problems and doesn’t want a bar of it!

Cracks in Monolithic Plaster Cladding

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Do you live in a home that has cracks in the cladding?

Cracks in any type of cladding can let in water… please view the thermal imaging photo below:

Yesterday I had a special request from an Auckand home owner who had noticed a crack appear in his monolithic plaster cladding. We only perform infrared inspections from the inside of the home unless requested otherwise, but in this case the cladding was still under warranty and he needed some kind of visual evidence from a third party to determine if water could be penetrating the cladding.

The righthand photo below shows a crack in the cladding as you and I would see it with the naked eye, and the lefthand photo shows how the infrared camera sees the same crack. Please note that water was found dripping out the top of a ranch slider door on the interior of the home directly below this crack… (keep reading underneath the photo)

crack in cladding

The red colour around the crack in the thermal image above indicates a thermal anomoly that is not consistant in colour with the rest of the wall. Moisture behind this plaster would show up as a different temperature to the dry area, hence the reason the infrared camera has displayed a different colour (Certainly a ‘red flag’ in most cases)

If you already own a home that has cracks in the cladding, then a moisture test on the immediate interior wall area could be a wise choice before the problem gets out of hand… ESPECIALLY if there is still a warranty on the home.

All New Zealand home owners with a valid warranty on their home, be it the cladding, the roof or a general ‘new home’ warranty should always get a check-up prior to the warranty expiring as a last minute safeguard of your investment.

Thermal Imaging Detects Butanol Deck Leak

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Do you have butanol waterproofing on your deck?

If you have a leak in a room under a deck, there is a way to find the leak fast…

Recently I was called out to a home because the builder couldn’t detect where a leak was coming from. Although he suspected the deck was the issue, it was a matter of what part of the deck it was entering.

The righthand photo below shows the damage to the wall the builder caused while looking for the leak, and the lefthand photo shows exactly what I saw with the thermal imaging camera. The dark area at the top of the ceiling is the source of the leak which was finding it’s way down the wall and appearing around the skirting.

Rather then doing damage to your walls and guessing where the leak is coming in, give me a call. The thermal imaging camera could ‘fast track’ your remedial work, or potentiallybutanol deck waterproofing confirm the source of the leak.

Thermal Cameras See What Inspectors Can’t!

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Is there leaks or moisture hiding behind the walls of your future home?

When buying a home, 100% of the financial risk is on you. Wise home buyers do not take any short cuts during the pre purchase inspection process.

There are many homes for sale in New Zealand that look great and are of solid construction, but there’s also many homes that look great but could be an absolute can of worms. Remember, once you’ve paid your money, it’s too late to turn back… so take every measure you can during the pre purchase inspection phase.

leaking window

An infrared camera can see what you and I can not see (like signs of leaks, moisture and missing insulation behind walls), so taking that fact into account, it’s only logical that the camera is going to reveal other potential issues with the home that the real estate agent, the building inspector, the seller and yourself don’t even know exist (unless you rip the wall and ceiling down as part of the pre purchase inspection… unlikely). You wouldn’t believe the amount of leaks I’ve found in some homes that didn’t show a trace of evidence they were even there! (See infrared photos of leaks HERE that i’ve found during pre purchase inspections).

The real estate agent selling you the home isn’t obligated to know what the moisture levels of the home are, that’s not their job, so it’s up to you to find out. The scary part is that most home buyers don’t even consider what could be lurking behind the walls before handing over their cash! The only person at risk when buying a home is you, so the least you can do is safeguard your investment and get it checked for moisture and leaks (in addition to a building inspection) before going ahead with the deal.

New Zealand has a wet climate, so most homes will leak at some stage… and the home you’re looking to buy could be an absolute dog (but nice to look at), or it might be just fine. Are you willing to take the gamble, or does the saying “slow and steady wins the race” have a better ring to it?

Buying a home can be fun and rewarding for some people, but for many buyers the experience has turned into an absolute nightmare… and to top it off, their bank account has been sucked dry in the process! Remain savvy at all times when buying a home, after all, we are talking about an investment of $100’s of thousands of dollars… and 100% of the risk is soley on your shoulders in this transaction.

Toilet Leak Behind Wall – Thermal Imaging Photo

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Please find a thermal imaging photo below of a leak behind a toilet wall.

Was it the toilet as first thought?

Whilst performing a thermal imaging inspection on a home in Dannemora, Auckland yesterday, I came across an interesting leak that further confirms that leaks don’t always originate from the ‘obvious’ location.

This photo below shows a leak that appears to be coming from the wall directly behind the toilet…. which could lead you to believe there is a plumbing issue with the toilet. Thanks to the thermal imaging camera, we were able to detect the leak was originating from a bath tub that backed onto the toilet wall.

toilet leak

Locate Hot Water Pipes Behind Walls – Leaks

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Looking for a simple way to locate hot water pipes behind your wall?

Depending of the location of your hot water cylinder, the hot water pipes may run behind a wall in an area you would least expect. Water leaks do occur on the ‘hot water side’ of the cylinder (as opposed to the mains cold water side), so a leak in your wall isn’t always caused from the usual suspects like window leaks, cladding penetrations or roof leaks … it may be the hot water pipes causing the problem.

Here’s a thermal imaging photo of hot water pipe behind a wall….

thermal imaging hot water pipe behind wall

Glue Detected Behind Wall Holding Gib to Brick

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Here’s another example of the interesting things we can detect while thermal imaging your walls!

Whilst performing a moisture inspection on a home in Panmure, Auckland (using thermal imaging), we came across an interesting discovery…

Whilst renovating the property, the previous home owners had glued the gib board over the top of a brick wall. This isn’t anything new, as the glue is obviously there for additional support, but the rewarding part was the new home owner got to know more about the construction of their home then they did prior to us doing the infrared inspection. Take a look at this thermal image, then keep reading…

gib board glued to brick - thermal image

The reason we can see this glue, is because the glue is a different temperature to the gib board. Infrared thermal imaging is all about detecting infrared (heat) radiation via electromagnetic wavelengths being emmited off any given surface. It’s the tiny temperature differences that the camera detects on the surface that highlights images of what could be behind your walls (like the glue above) that you may not know about!

Contact us today for a free ‘over the phone’ quick quote, too see what could be lurking behind your walls!