Building Inspection Company Misses Obvious Leaks!

If you’ve ever doubted getting an infrared building inspection, then this should change your mind!

*Building inspection company misses obvious leaks*

(Above: The infrared photo in the centre shows a leak tracking the lighting wire… and hence looks like it’s turning a corner. Only seen using our infrared equipment).

Out of all the thermal imaging inspections I done, this one takes the cake. Recently I received a call from a first time home buyer. The call went something like this… “We settled on our home just 10 days ago, and there is already water coming through the ceiling in the ensuite bathroom… can you come and take a look where the leak is coming from?”. So around to the house I went with infrared camera in hand. (The dark spots in this photo are leaks as seen through our infrared camera… keep reading).

leak inspection in wellington home

When I arrived, they showed me a report from a ‘reputable’ franchised home inspection company. The home was given the all clear. The first thing I noticed when I arrived was cracks in the plaster cladding… but there was no mention of that in the building inspection report either. The interesting part was that he did a ‘moisture test’ during the inspection! (There was a photo in his report showing this).

To cut a long story short, there were leaks in the home everywhere, under windows, on the ceiling, around skirting boards and below flat roofs. This place was a home buyers nightmare come true. You’ll see a photo of just three of the leaks I found in the home (found 7 in total), and one of them was creating a bulb in the gib board ceiling which was also missed by the house inspection company.

So what’s the come back on the building inspector?

Probably nothing… half the report was disclaimers. Maybe he doesn’t include leak detection in his building report… not sure about that one. The bottom line is the home owner purchased the home based on the clean report from the home inspection company. Unfortunately they didn’t know about thermal imaging prior to signing the dotted line.

Here is why thermal imaging can save you from buying a lemon… not to mention the stress that comes along with finding ‘hidden’ leaks and moisture behind walls! Take a look at these photos… the dark areas are major leaks (further confirmed with a moisture test).

leak inspection in wellington home

If you’re considering buying a home, atleast give us a call for a free quote, so you don’t end up suffering the same stress as the family above! Please remember that once you’ve paid over your money for the home, you can’t turn back… and quite often it’s the homes that look great that are the problem homes.

You should also read this thermal imaging article before calling.

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Client Comments... (All testimonials can be verified as true and correct... updated for 2010)

I enlisted Dean’s services 2 days prior to “D-day” of us purchasing our first NZ home. Dean proved to be an extremely efficient and knowledgeable technician. He has a very good understanding not only of his specific field, but also of general building requirements. He was easily able to spot, and talk me through, existing as well as potential problems, and was very open to answering the myriads of questions I fired his way. Most importantly, he gave me non-biased answers, allowing me to make an objective decision regarding the purchase of a potentially leaky home. Thanks again for excellent service Dean! Simone P - Titirangi

We have lived for some time in an old weather board cottage which we have renovated over a period of years. Recently we discovered a leak, so we googled “find a leak” and found a comprehensive and detailed website of the same name. Next we spoke to Dean and an appointment was made. He was punctual, courteous and his experience was obvious. His thermal imaging equipment is ‘state of the art’ and the source leak was quickly detected.

Dean was able offer practical solutions which we can act on with confidence. As a result of this experience we would recommend the use of his skills before the sale or purchase of any property to be reassured as to the integrity of the property. Dean is personable, a superb communicator and a true professional. Maggie & David M - Waiatarua

Dean was very professional and I would highly recommend anyone that is thinking of buying a property to get thermal testing done. Fortunately it was by pure chance that I even knew these tests were available after speaking to my neighbour and he advising me. The house we were looking at had water leaks and Dean has saved me many thousands of dollars in the long run. David G - West Auckland

Dean is a very professional and friendly guy. He goes step by step through the process which is very valuable. When he finds a potential problem he immediately notified to me and discussed with me in details on what actions could be taken. Anyway no major problems were detected in the property I wanted to purchase. However I greatly advice anyone to obtain Dean's professional service to make sure the property is in a satisfactory condition. Robbie P - Glen Eden

Thank you very much for the great service, very professional and appreciated the time taken to explain the process. Very glad to know that with all the stigma that goes with plaster houses, ours is not a leaky home. The report has helped pin-point some areas for maintenance which we plan to undertake sooner rather than later..Thanks again. Heather M - Maraetai

We were a bit apprehensive about what the leak detection might find, but found Dean’s confident, friendly and very capable approach extremely reassuring. While we were greatly relieved by the findings concerning the exterior of the house, Dean’s thoroughness in looking also for internal issues uncovered a surprise bath leak. Thanks Dean for solving the mysterious odour that’s been bothering us for the last 6 months! We highly recommend Dean to anyone with even the slightest concerns regarding moisture in their homes. Kevin - West Auckland

Thank you Dean for your prompt service. I was given 2 days to have a Building inspection done which found some dampness in the house. It was well worth the money spent as Dean found some other damp issues. He was very thorough and very informative and even though there were issues with the house they were all fixable so I was then able to re negotiate the purchase price. I would recommend anyone buying a house- any type of building structure to have ’Thermo Imaging’ as part of a building inspection. Thank you once again. Maree, Glendowie

We had some concerns about a recently renovation house including a lower basement. Being nosey I popped around to join Dean on his inspection. Apart from enjoying meeting him, Dean was enormously informative, approachable & friendly, I found the technology & information I gleaned fascinating. Fortunately, we identified no significant issues with the property. It gave us great peace of mind & we can enjoy our new home knowing we have bought a dry, water tight property with with hidden surprises. Thank you Dean for your help & reassurance. To my mind it is certainly worth the modest sum versus potential costs you could incur which could also mar one of most expensive purchases of your life.. Diane - Devonport

Read 20 more testimonials Here!