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After The "Repair"

By
Home Inspector with Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC 3380-000723

When water is getting into houses, it can cause damage to many things - drywall, structure, flooring, carpeting, etc.  There is also residual damage - mold.  Mold is not the problem - it is the indicator that there is a problem.  Mold is a symptom.  Mold cannot be cleaned up until the source of any water migration is removed.

THE BEST WAY TO DETECT HIDDEN OR RESIDUAL MOISTURE IS WITH AN INFRARED CAMERA.  THE BEST WAY TO SEE HOW MUCH MOISTURE IS TO COUPLE THAT IR EXAMINATION WITH A MOISTURE METER.

In this house, mold was showing up in the corner of a basement ceiling.

Well, since we know the physics of water we know that it comes from somewhere above.

Outside this house I found a problem in the roof, which was diverting water down inside the siding, through the bedroom, into the living room and finally stopping at the basement ceiling.

Fix the roof, fix the problem.

This infrared image shows the spot in the living room just above the basement mold.  Blues and purples indicate cooler temperatures, and when examined with a moisture meter it was easy to prove that this spot was wet, very wet.

Fine.  So the sellers agreed to fix the roof problem I found.

I snuck back to look at the roof after the "repair."

Frankly I saw no difference and told the seller and then my client.

I contacted my client and offered a plan.  Our plan was to wait a couple of rain storms and go back to look at the same spot with the IR camera.  Would it cost him more?  Yes.  Would results be definitive?  Yes.  And the seller was agreeable.  Yes!

After two rains, I returned at the same time of day.  The temperature outside was the same as for the original examination.  Fair is fair - it is best to try to mimic conditions.

After the "repair," not only was there moisture, there was MORE moisture!

I have to tell you, not only was my client grateful, but the seller was too!  They had paid good money to a "roofer" only to find out that he did not do much at all.  There was no point in "re-mediating" any mold if the moisture source is not mitigated!

My recommendation:  if there is an experienced thermographer in your area, take advantage of the technology!  Sure, it costs money.  But wow, it can sure save money in the long run! 

Big sigh - happy ending.

 

 

Posted by

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC  

Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia.

Office (703) 330-6388   Cell (703) 585-7560

www.jaymarinspect.com


Comments (19)

TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

The more I read about thermography, the more I see it as a necessary tool in this business. Looks as if I will need to bite the bullet one of these days...

Oct 23, 2010 12:13 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I highly recommend it Michael.  But some advice - get training, understand the camera's capabilities completely (remember, it is art and science) and practice, practice, practice.

Oct 23, 2010 12:16 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Good approach.  Glad that both parties were happy and good for putting the roofer in his place.  Sad that contractors do this.  makes you wonder if they are lazy or just don't know what they are doing - either scenario is disappointing.

Oct 23, 2010 12:40 AM
Mike Jaquish
Realty Arts - Cary, NC
919-880-2769 Cary, NC, Real Estate

Jay,

There are a LOT of "roofers" and "Unhandymen" out there who do not "know how water works," and they can severely damage a home.

Imagine the consequences if that "repair" was not linked to a home inspection, or no reinspection was performed!

Oct 23, 2010 12:58 AM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Wow...and both parties are agreeable...that is outstanding....that camera is surely your best buddy....and the most able assistant to your clients as well !

Oct 23, 2010 01:21 AM
Kathryn Maguire
GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA
Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

You really did save them money with that finding.  Water seems to be the thing that kills most houses.  I have a buyer with a contract on a gorgeous home right now.  Everything is beautiful about the crawl. Under the floor...$5000 in damage due to water encroachment.  He never even knew and the house is only seven years old.  He could have used you when he bought the place!

Oct 23, 2010 01:24 AM
Cynthia Larsen
Cotati, CA
Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

I'll bet roofers are beginning to hate those cameras. We have a guy here with one of those cameras (Steve Ramos, house detective, HGTV) but clients hesitate to spend that kind of money for the service.

Oct 23, 2010 01:37 AM
Valerie Duncan Stewart
(Metro First Realty) - Oklahoma City, OK
Real Estate Agent-Broker, OKC, OK

If only ALL sellers were that cooperative. Sounds like you had a conscientious seller who wanted to get the job done right! Happy ending indeed. :D

Oct 23, 2010 01:55 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

Jay,

A good post that strikes close to home as we had a major sewer back up in our neighborhood. To make a long story short we spent most of our summer and about $30,000 just to clean up and replace lost items.

Bob

Oct 23, 2010 02:41 AM
Damon Gettier
Damon Gettier & Associates, REALTORS- Roanoke Va Short Sale Expert - Roanoke, VA
Broker/Owner ABRM, GRI, CDPE

Jay, I am hoping my brother (he is a home inspector) will eventually get a thermal imaging camera....he is just trying to justify the price right now.  He was the first in our area to purchase a camera for sewer lines and he has been successful with that so far.

Oct 23, 2010 04:54 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Debbie - it might be that both scenarios are appropriate here!  Who knows?  My last client today drove home last night from Westchester County, visiting his wife's parents, who live there.  I said, "I know someone who lives there too!"  Maybe you are neighbors...  The drive took them 6 hours!  Yikes!  Sounds like my average day...

Mike - there are probably houses like that all over the place, without inspections and without having found the problems.  It's a shame.  Water can be so invisible and so damaging.

Oct 23, 2010 11:20 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

S&D - I had to tell the seller.  Couldn't let that roofer get away with this.  He was most agreeable and grateful. 

That camera is my best buddy.  The sharpest arrow in my quiver.  You want to meet my leetle friend?

Kathryn - inside and out water is THE killer of houses.  IR does "see" things that can go otherwise unnoticed.

Cynthia - I know Steve through our home inspector association.  It doesn't make sense not to spend such a small amount of money when it can save so much money later!

Oct 23, 2010 11:47 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Valerie - he was pretty upset when I told him what I suspected.  He was very agreeable!

Bob - wow, not sure what an IR camera could have done out in the sewer, but hope this came out great in your favor!

Damon - WHAT?  My camera is half the price now than it was when I bought it and it paid for itself in a few months way back then!  The sewer camera should teach that lesson real well!

Oct 23, 2010 11:49 AM
Jennifer Dulmaine
Keller Williams Realty - Spencer, MA
Seth Campbell Realty Group

WOW that is a situation that everyone won!! Great camera

Oct 23, 2010 03:33 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Donna and Jennifer - yes they did.  And my reputation got further solidified!

Oct 23, 2010 10:57 PM
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Home Inspector

Good advice to Michael. I would add it is equally if not more important to understand the object at which the camera is pointed.

Oct 24, 2010 01:26 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Hola Jaime...  For sure.  We can't make him a Level I in a few comments here and there!  You mean the image of a concrete wall is different than one of a lamp shade?

Oct 24, 2010 05:17 AM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

That's not only a good post about the importance of thermal imaging - as well as understanding how sellers can often do things with the intent of solving a problem, only to be taken advantage of by a contractor.  It's important not only to negotiate the repairs, but also to have a follow up plan in place.  Excellent.

Oct 25, 2010 04:02 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Thank you Susan!  Thermal imaging is a great way to see if things have been done properly.  We waited a few weeks for the right time to do an examination.

Oct 25, 2010 04:08 AM