Whether you have a residential or a commercial property, ensuring that your roof stays healthy and dry is critical to the structural soundness and value of your property. Unfortunately, roofs are not always easy to access, nor are they always safe. With infrared roof inspections, however, you can get accurate answers quickly without doing any probing or causing any damage to your property. 

An infrared roof inspection is a diagnostic technology that can be performed on its own or as part of a comprehensive building envelope survey, which is a thorough visual inspection of the entire exterior of a building. Much like building envelope surveys, infrared roof inspections are ideal for detecting moisture and giving a general idea of the current condition of the roof. 

How Does an Infrared Roof Inspection Work? 

Basically, in an infrared roof inspection, a thermal imaging camera (or infrared camera) is used to detect and record heat differences in the roof with the general goal of identifying any water that may have leaked under the roofing material and made its way into the building.

Because wet materials have a higher mass, they retain the sun’s heat longer. Meanwhile, dry materials have a lower mass, so they cool more quickly. Any abnormal or inconsistent temperatures recorded during the inspection are indicative of a problem, and they signal to you that the area should be inspected in greater detail.  Thermal imaging technology is convenient as it can help you find hidden defects that a traditional roof inspection cannot. 

Benefits of Infrared Roof Inspections 

Infrared inspections are now the industry standard for detecting water and moisture intrusion not just because of their convenience, but also for a number of other reasons. Outlined below are some of the main benefits of infrared roof inspections:

• Infrared inspections are non-invasive and non-destructive, so you don’t have to cut holes in your walls or probe your roof with special devices. This saves your invaluable time and money.  
• Infrared roof inspections facilitate early detection of, and early intervention with, potential problems. Getting your roof inspected regularly (e.g. once a year) allows you to identify any existing or potential problems early on, thereby preventing costly damage and extra costs associated with repairs. Infrared roof inspections are a huge part of the preventive maintenance of a building.
• Thermal imaging inspections are cost effective because they’re much quicker, easier and more accurate than their traditional counterparts. Thus, they save you time and money. They are a small investment that leads to big savings. Think about it this way—would you rather pay a couple hundred dollars for a roof inspection now or a couple thousand dollars in repairs later on?
• Infrared inspections of your roof can help you prioritize and plan repairs and upgrades.

Last but not least, infrared roof inspections can reveal a number of hidden issues with both your roof and your property as a whole. Here are just a few:

-Moisture intrusion
-Energy efficiency problems (heat loss)
-Poor insulation
-Roof leaks
-Missing or damaged shingles
-Structural issues such as a cracked chimney
-Faulty electrical work
-Leaky plumbing

Roof inspections are especially important for buildings that have a flat or low-sloped roof because water tends to accumulate at the top with no place to drain to. This can lead to moisture intrusion, degradation of foundation, mold growth, and many more headaches. 

It’s important to take care of your roof because it’s a vital part of your building’s structure. Ignoring a problem just because you can’t see it is foolish and will lead to bigger problems down the road. Infrared roof inspections are an affordable and effective way to avoid these kinds of problems, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get one for your home or office building. You can always contact the certified thermographers at InfraScan for any questions you have about thermal imaging or infrared roof inspections.

Srdjan is working for InfraScan.ca, specialized company for thermal imaging and infrared inspection.  Currently living in Ottawa, his motto is that good life is a healthy life.