Thermal Imaging

Sometimes people will call me to ask if our scheduled home inspection should be canceled because it's a rainy day.  Of course I say NO!  When it's raining and water is flowing, on, off and around a house, you can see things not otherwise manifest!

Take this house for instance.  When I got there it had been raining all night and well into the morning.  It was raining hard at the time I arrived.  Taking the time to carry my things to the front porch, I noticed this leaking under the front porch roof.

There isn't any reason why water should be dripping from around that wood trim, the ceiling drywall and inside the siding!

There was a pretty good puddle at the bottom, so obviously this had been happening all night.

Was it leaking inside too?

Let's see, um, looking at the thermal image to the right, yep, it's leaking! 

The moisture meter stopped at over 30%.  That's lots of moisture!

The house is one year old and never lived in.

It is custom built and expensive.

Such leaking would be exceptionally unusual.

So, why the leaking?

Just a slight issue with a lack of corner and/or step flashing where the siding meets the shingles over the front porch roof.

It has been like this since the day they installed the shingles.  Flashing was an after thought.

Now, had we postponed this inspection due to rain, this slight flaw would not have been so easily noticed!

Remember, CUSTOM builder!

So next time you're tempted to postpone a home inspection due to rain, think again!

My recommendation:  If it's raining, and you are scheduled for a home inspection, keep the appointment!  Come prepared for the rain and plan to look around.  You might see something revealing, and that you might not otherwise have opportunity to see!