Water Damage Repair & Restoration in Charlotte, NC – Using Thermal Imaging Cameras

Are you searching for a technician to fix water damage at your commercial or residential property?

During a recent service call, a homeowner was concerned with water stains on his ceiling and believed it was coming from the tub located on the second floor in the master bathroom.  The bath tub had a split in the bottom and had been leaking for a while. “No doubt about it, that’s the problem”, he said.  Also, he mentioned the tub hadn’t been used in a while. This prompted me to investigate further, using a thermal imaging camera. I found out it was not the tub, but actually a shower that was the source of the water damage.

Using the thermal imaging camera, I began looking for areas on the first floor ceiling that were inconsistent. The camera allowed me to locate a spot on the ceiling that was naked to the eye, but produced a image that warranted attention.  The spot was no bigger than the palm of your hand.  I was able to confirm that the location of the spot was nowhere near the tub’s location on the second floor.  What we concluded was the water, in fact, was coming from a leaking shower.

When we went to investigate the shower we found that, thankfully, it had not been leaking long. We were able to access the area and dry it from below. New caulking was applied to fix the leak in the shower. By addressing the leaking shower right away, the homeowner was able to avoid any significant damages from a potentially much larger issue.

Thermal imaging cameras work great and are becoming an industry standard for locating water damaged areas in homes and other commercial buildings. However, while they are an amazing tool, they do not detect what is inside the walls, under the floor, or in the ceiling. They detect surface temperatures, or more correctly, infrared radiation. A moisture meter must be used to confirm any suspected issues, but the only way to find out what is going on behind the walls, or underneath the floors, is to investigate.

To properly use a thermal imaging camera you must be a technician that is properly trained. By having the wrong settings or misinterpreting the readings, it could result in unnecessary fixes and damage to your property. If used correctly, they can be a time saving tool. Give us a call if you have any questions about thermal imaging cameras.

If you have water damage that you would like repaired, we would be more than happy to come take a look at your home or property and provide you with a free quote. We are a full-service property restoration company located in Waxhaw, North Carolina and we serve the entire Charlotte, NC area.