Seasonal weather changes often prompt necessary home improvement projects and inspections, offering more opportunity for professionals to secure additional work. However, detecting problems within a building’s envelope isn’t always black-and-white, and no professional toolkit is complete without powerful thermal imaging technologies that detect hidden problems quickly and efficiently.

Here are just a few ways home improvement and other building professionals might utilize the power of seeing heat energy when preparing a home or office for warmer weather:

Find leaks and water damage

During the winter season, buildings may have endured heavy rain, ice, and snow, causing a number of potential problems resulting from water damage. Ice dams, for example, can cause the drainage of meltwater to back up under the roofing material resulting in moisture damage to walls, ceilings and insulation. However, as the seasons change, so do the issues, such as clogged drain lines that can lead to severe pipe damage.

Encountering concerns in a home’s piping system can be daunting, but the FLIR ONE Pro can serve as a reliable tool to catch problems early and quickly. Home improvement professionals can effectively check for blockages, cracks and leaks in a home's piping system, plus pinpoint issues to avoid unnecessary demolition.

For more extensive moisture problems requiring in-depth, precise inspection, consider using a thermal moisture meter, such as the FLIR MR176. This single tool can quickly and effectively help to visually identify hidden moisture by combining both infrared-guided measurement (IGM) technology and non-intrusive pinless moisture data to find, verify and document the entire extent of the damage. This tool can be used to find hidden moisture in ceilings, behind walls and baseboards, under flooring and around windows.

Ensure proper HVAC functioning

With spring comes warmer weather, and professionals may be tasked with ensuring cooling systems are functioning properly. The FLIR ONE Pro’s ability to visualize issues can help accurately detect temperature differences in ducting and vents to identify areas of cooling loss or ensure systems are working before the summer heat waves hit. The FLIR One Pro is also useful for checking the outdoor condenser unit for potential internal coil blockages or external debris, which can result in insufficient heat transfer leading to poor system efficiency.

Additionally, thermal can help detect overflowing drip pans in HVAC systems. When water builds up inside the unit, the drain below may become clogged and if the clog is severe enough, water will overflow and damage the overall system and the ceiling and walls below. Using thermal imaging will help detect this excess moisture before it becomes an issue that warrants extensive repair or replacement.

Detect gaps in insulation, windows and doors

As electric bills tend to spike in hotter months as conditioning usage increases, it’s important that a home is monitored for issues that allow cool air to escape or warm air to enter through the attic or radiating wall heat back into the house. The FLIR ONE Pro’s unique image processing technology provides enhanced resolution and accuracy to spot missing insulation in ceilings and walls, along with drafts around baseboards, doors, windows, electrical outlets and wall switches.

As spring and summer approach, it’s important to have the right tools to prepare homes for the issues that come with changing seasons. Using thermal imaging technology can help detect hidden problems quicker and more efficiently, and ultimately save professionals and their clients money by helping avoid demolitions and other unforeseen costs. Specifically, the FLIR ONE PRO paired with the FLIR MR176 can help catch issues before they become considerably larger and more expensive.