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Thermal Image Juxtaposition

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

This is a true thermal image juxtaposition.

What you see is a thermal image of a praying mantis.

A praying mantis is an invertebrate, so it is cold blooded.

In this image it is on the outside of a window screen, warming in the sun.

You can see from the gage on the right that it is a little over 90F.  Its colors are the warmer red and white.

Its shadow is about 1/2" below him, projected onto the screen.

It is cooler, somewhere in the 70sF.  The colors there are yellow and blue.  The warm leg from the image above can be seen through the shadow!

My recommendation:  there were other thermal images in this inspection, a new construction inspection.  They revealed problems with insulation, not well placed during construction.  When insulation is behind drywall it is invisible, EXCEPT to a circumspect home inspector with a thermal camera.  While this praying mantis may be interesting and even instructive, the rest of the information the thermal camera offered about the house was more so!

 

 

 

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 (15)

Doug Dawes
Keller Williams Evolution - 447 Boston Street, Suite #5, Topsfield, MA - Topsfield, MA
Your Personal Realtor®

Good Morning Jay Markanich 

Fun with a thermal imager. That is an interesting picture of the praying mantis 

Sep 07, 2018 04:18 AM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Jay. Want to be in the know, bring out "Mighty Mo"! Enjoy your day!

Sep 07, 2018 05:00 AM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Hi Jay.  Do you ever see critters with the thermal camera in the walls?

Sep 07, 2018 05:43 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Doug - the image does give information.  Thermal information is useful in many ways during a home inspection.

Wayne - Might Mo knows his stuff!

Yes Gabe.  I have found an expansive termite colony inside a wall and once found a cat trapped in an attic from the bedroom side.

Sep 07, 2018 06:17 AM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Jay. I think this is so interesting. Your techniques are state of the art and telling.

Sep 07, 2018 06:50 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Thanks, Sheila.  That's good to know - I am usually in the state of confusion.

Sep 07, 2018 08:48 AM
Stephen Weakley
Nationwide Mortgage Services - Rockville, MD

Much like the "ghost" image you get when you put your hand on something for a period of time then remove it and hit it with Mighty Mo'.  I can only image all the uses for thermal imaging in your line of work!

Sep 08, 2018 08:27 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

There are many, many uses Stephen. 

And I can have some fun with it also, of course.

Like finding ghost footprints on the walls.

Useful.

Sep 09, 2018 02:33 AM
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

Jay, what a wonderful tool.  All home inspectors need to use the thermal camera to do the best job!

Sep 09, 2018 05:47 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I agree Judi!  I have been using one for 14 years and have many dozens of blogs about it.  Glad you enjoyed seeing it!

Love the avatar!

Sep 10, 2018 09:12 AM
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Jay, I enjoyed a different view of what a thermal image can show. Nature is amazing.

Sep 11, 2018 06:34 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

And I'm glad, Joe!  It can do cool things - see veins in horses' legs to show where there is a blood-flow issue and can detect mammary tumors before a mammogram.

Sep 11, 2018 06:38 AM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

I really think Jay Markanich you need to start a gallery with your thermal pictures...or a museum ..hmm ?

Sep 15, 2018 05:43 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

S&D - after taking this image I could hardly wait to put it on the computer to see what I could do with it!

Sep 15, 2018 06:21 AM