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Moisture meter vrs the IR camera


Chris Bernhardt

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My initial interest in using an IR camera is answering the question will it help identify moisture intrusion issues that I couldn't normally find by sight or with the normal application of my moisture meter.

Yesterdays inspection reinforces the need to check every single moisture stain or anything that looks like it could be related to moisture intrusion etc. as opposed to sampling the stains in an area.

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This was a small laundry room addition on the back of the house. Lots of moisture stains. I had scanned all of them with my tramex except for this narrow area over the doorway which is a little too small for the form factor of a Tramex. Thats one of the reasons why it's next on my list to get the smaller GE surveymaster.

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I then scanned the room with the IR camera and picked up this spot. I re-scanned it with my tramex and found it damp. There's an active leak in the roof above .

Chris, Oregon

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  • 1 month later...

Some IR cameras are sensitive enough to pick up moisture that meters will not. With my camera I usually can see studs through the drywall based only on the fact the wood is a natural insulator and cooler than the area surrounding it.

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This was an exterior wall on a nice hot day and I specified the client to turn down the A/C as cold as they could stand it an hour before I arrived.

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The second image show subterranean termites (mud tubes) that the moisture meter barely picked up.

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Originally posted by StevenT

What type of cam are you using ?

These images were shot with the IR100XST Insight camera. This camera was made by Infrared Solutions then were bought out by Fluke.

It is now being replaced with the TiR1 Fusion camera. I have the new TiR1 but so far I am not too impressed, they seem to have given up resolution and some sensitivity for the Fusion feature.

I still have two in stock and I am trying to have Fluke send me what ever they have left of the IR100XST. Great camera!

Notice the drywall screws visible in the picture with the studs. On a good day you can see if it is a phillips head or a nail.

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