One of our major responsibilities is to protect the long-term value of our clients’ valuable assets. Our inspectors are always looking for ways to improve our processes as we address this important responsibility.
After a plumbing leak, or when some type of water intrusion occurs, we often bring in vendors to test the moisture levels in the home. Our staff member, Nathan, who has been inspecting our properties for almost 10 years, suggested that we purchase our own moisture meters and infrared cameras so that we can be more proactive about searching for small leaks before they become big problems. While we were still considering his suggestion, Nathan bought the equipment himself and began using it during inspections so that we could see the benefits.
The moisture meters allow us to determine if the level of moisture in a wall, ceiling or floor is higher than the normal/safe range. Depending on the meter results, we’ll know if we need to have fans or dehumidifiers installed, or to call in a water mitigation team. The FLIR (forward looking infrared) camera provides a visual representation of the temperature pattern in the home. We can easily see where hot and cold spots exist. The cold spots are typically related to construction/insulation issues or the presence of water.
With the new equipment, our inspectors have been able to:
- Document details on how far a hot water heater leak had spread
- Confirmation that all ceramic stove top burners are functioning correctly
- Detect a slow leak behind a washing machine that was not easily noticeable
- Determine if a ceiling stain was associated with an active water leak without cutting the drywall
We’ve only had the equipment for a few weeks, and we haven’t finalized the protocol for incorporating this new technology into our standard inspections. We are excited about our new tools, and we feel that they will allow us to provide even better service to our landlords regarding the long-term protection of their homes.
