We Provide Infrared  Inspection

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then an infrared image is worth a

 million.

- make an infrared inspection part of your next building inspection -
 

A PHI Infrared Services house inspection is the best method available to

access your homes current heat loss situation. Poor qualities due to

inadequate insulation, construction or workmanship are located and

proven without any doubt.

A PHI house inspection can provide the home owner with numerous

advantages for many situations.

 

 Commonly inspected components



• Walls

• Roofs

• Windows

• Doors

• HVAC

• Insulation

• Floor heating



Typical reasons for temperature hotspots or deviations



• Insulation verification like improperly installed or missing insulation

• Roof inspections; leaks cause water to enter to insulation

• Construction evaluation

• Locate air leakage

• Moisture intrusion; damage to insulation and building materials

• Mold detection

• Thermal bridging in joints between walls

• Heat loss through damaged seals in multi-plane windows

• Damaged heat ducts/leakage of buried steam lines
 

 

Tired of high energy bills?

 

• What window needs replacing the most? Is my wall and attic insulation sufficient?

•  What inexpensive repairs will have the most effect on your energy bill.

•  All these questions can be answered with a PHI house inspection.

 

Are you a new home owner?

 Most new home owners have 1 year to identify any deficiencies with their new

 home. A PHI house inspection will ensure and prove quality materials,

 workmanship and construction went into building your new home.

Full colour report with each inspection.

The results of each inspection are documented in an easy to understand complete

 report. Infrared images, photographs and detailed write ups are included

        Heat Lost                 Missing Insulation             Moisture behind walls

Building Diagnostics


The primary diagnostic procedure for determining the thermal performance of a building envelope is infrared thermography. It can be used to identify heating and cooling loss due to poor construction, missing or inadequate insulation and moisture intrusion. Correcting the defects plays a significant role in increasing building efficiency and structural integrity.

Thermography can identify surface temperature variations of the building envelope, which relates to problems in the structure, thermal bridging, moisture content and air leakage.

Two primary mechanisms for heat loss in buildings are conduction through the walls and air leakage. Both can be identified from the surface of the building with infrared thermography. Early correction of the faults identified can be made before extensive damage occurs.

 

Mold and Moisture

A key to prevention of mold growth.

Mold has existed in our environment long before the recent awareness of its presence in homes and businesses. The impact of mold on health is dependent upon the concentration of spores in the immediate area and the allergic effect on an individual. Potential health problems associated with mold exposure can take the form of allergic reactions or asthma. The problem is not limited to homes. Commercial buildings with moisture accumulation due to condensation or leaks are a candidate for mold growth. The mold topic has reached such proportions that congress has introduced a bill titled "United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act of 2002" also know as the "Melina bill".

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, there is no practical way to eliminate mold spores in an indoor environment. The best way to control mold growth is to control moisture. Mold can begin growth in as little as 24 hours. Roof leaks and water pipe leaks are common sources of water accumulation that may cause mold growth. Mold has closed public schools and caused companies to spend millions of dollars on environmental tests and remediation. Clearly, there is more reason to become aware of roof conditions, before water begins dripping on a building owner's head.


Moisture present in roofs and walls can be detected with a sensitive infrared camera, under the right conditions. Infrared roof inspections are performed most effectively after sunset, when the roof gives off its heat energy accumulated during the day. The heat capacity of moisture soaked roof insulation is greater than that of dry insulation. As a result, the moisture soaked roof areas appear quite clearly when performing an infrared scan.


Similarly, it is possible to detect moisture located behind interior walls with an infrared camera, under the right conditions. The temperature difference created by the presence of moisture on the inside surface of a wall will appear differently than the surrounding area.


Infrared inspection is a fast, non-invasive method to discover moisture intrusion within the building envelope. Infrared inspection does not directly detect the presence of mold, rather it may be used to find moisture where mold may develop. The limitations to obtaining accurate infrared images pertain to the ability of the surface being scanned to emit heat energy. Gypsum (dry wall) in interior walls emits quite well, whereas highly reflective surfaces do not. Since the temperature difference between the wet and the dry wall are very slight, a sensitive infrared camera must be used.