For those who have already participated in both, the Building Science infrared training and the Level 1 infrared training, do you really think Level 1 infrared training has it’s benefits in the home inspection field.
I’m thinking of taking the Level 1 course but I was told by many students at the BS course that Level one was not really necessary for home inspectors.
I realize the Level 1 course will get deeper into the logistics of the camera technology, but I simply need your opinions as to how Level one Certification will assist me in home inspections as I already feel confident in properly reading the IR images.
My level one course was taught by Bob Rogers the Senior Level three instructor. My class had all Line Electricians except me as the only HI thus the class was primary directed at the camera perhaps less than 5% on building structure. That was what I was looking for, learn to use the tool.
DV I smell where you are going with this, probably the same as me I want to expand the IR into a stand alone business separate from my HI even though I will continue to use the B-Cam for my HI’S. I am already considering my Level 2 training and a much higher resolution camera to go along with it.
Was on the Web the other day and saw a Camera that takes both IR and digital for SideX Sides Don’t remember what site I was on but it was not FLIR
Think of court .
What training do you have ( show certificates )
Why did you not do level one ?
No idea if this is good or not just playing devils advocate .
… Cookie
The BS course covers 80% of what is in level 1 and then covers the
art of using the IR camera doing inspections. This is not a slander
against level 1… am just telling you what other thermographers have
told me and what I experienced.
No slander on my part was not interested in BS got what I paid for Level 1
If all one is interested in is HI’s, BS is the way to go just not for me. I would still rate my class as 95% camera and 5% BS those OTHER Thermographers you refere to were not in my class apparently
You are correct. The Building Science course (BS) is for home inspectors.
Level 1 is indeed 95% camera, but not geared so much for the HI, but
for other applications. It is fine, for it’s intended purpose.
Building Science covers 80% of the Level 1 info within the first day and half and
then covers the tricks of the trade for applying it in the real world of building
science, for the last couple days of the course.
I don’t know about that. You are saying that your expanding into other areas outside of home inspection, but to these areas have to do with buildings? If so, the building science course has an extensive amount of case study on the effects of the atmosphere on the structure, methods of testing buildings and what to look for and where and how heat transmits through a structure.
If you intend to ride your horse down the powerlines and evaluate transmission line connections with your infrared, or if you’re going into the medical fields (human or veterinarian) then you may need a lot more level 1, 2 and 3. If you’re going into the manufacturing setting where you know parameters of the equipment you are evaluating and you need to concern yourself more with actual temperatures versus apparent temperature so that you can determine the point of failure set by the manufacturer. The age-old question is “how hot is too hot”. If these are the areas you’re getting into than you need to learn how to accurately determine actual temperatures from your thermal scans.
When it comes between the two selections of level 1 and building science, even the building science is over the top for the application that home inspectors will be using a camera for (I sincerely doubt any home inspector is going to soak down the house with a spray-rack ). If your capital resources are low or stretched, I would recommend the building science course first. If you plan to take multiple levels, taking level 1 and then the building science course may be appropriate.
As posted, it appears there were very few home inspectors in our classes. Many of the people there will not use what they learned in building science because their jobs dictate other needs. It’s important to analyze what you’re going to use the technology for and take the correct course so you can apply what you learn. Corporations that send their employees to these classes are not so concerned about application and cost-effective education, just that their employees get educated and certified. My class had several home inspectors, several facility maintenance personnel, construction trade teachers, a couple of guys that should be or were level 3 employees. My point is that every class you take is going to be somewhat modified due to the participants in the class. I think that ITC made the building science course (and will make other courses in the future) for specialized area use of infrared beyond level 1. If your class shows up where everyone is level 1, a lot more building science will be covered. They can’t be teaching building science without you knowing level 1 stuff first. If the class still doesn’t understand level 1, the majority of the class time will be spent on level 1. I think we could have gone much deeper into building science if we had the time. I personally feel that the building science course is way too short and that at least five days is needed to cover material, however it is difficult for working students to devote an entire workweek. I am hoping that a more advanced level building science course will be developed in the future.
I could see where we skipped over a lot of important issues because there was no reason to go there when our goal was building science. If there was an option to turn off the temperature scales on the cameras, I think they would have made us do that. A lot time was spent telling us not the use the " apparent temperature" readings of the camera and why. We would probably all be a lot better off in home inspection if we never knew what the temperatures were we were looking at because it would force us to follow up and further evaluate with other appropriate test equipment to verify what we see.
I am sure that it would be well worth my time to take level 1 to cover the things left out in the building science course. Other than David Valley, who lives just down the street from ITC most of us just don’t have that luxury.
I did some research and I think I’m going to sign up for January…
*The Level I Infrared Thermography Training Course is geared to the new infrared camera user and focuses on its use for a variety of condition monitoring/predictive maintenance applications. Attendees completing all training course requirements and an thermography field assignment will receive a Level I Infrared Thermography Certification. *
*Infrared Course Benefits *
*Introduction to thermal imaging and measurement systems for predictive maintenance applications. No experience in thermography is necessary! *
*Collect quality data, accurate temperature readings, and account for measurement effects such as distance and emissivity using infrared cameras. *
*Interpret thermograms and make informed decisions using heat transfer concepts to analyze thermal images, and see the latest in infrared inspection report generation and database software. *
*Avoid costly mistakes - learn to distinguish between hot spots and reflections, direct vs. indirect readings and qualitative vs. quantitative thermography. *
Challenge yourself with field applications labs that closely simulate real-world infrared applications.
David there is a level 2 class in Tenn and one in TX soon that is not a bad travel for me as I drove to Denver for the Level 1. If I can swing a higher end camera I am going for it. I will have to research Flirs double shot camera have not been on their Web site in a while. Been extremely busy.
Well, I decided to take the big step and take the Level 1 IR certification course at FLIR. This is one hell of an imformative course.
Level 1 certification is going very well. It can be very mind boggling at times going over many camera’s with many features. During the day, they gave me so much information that my brain started to swell at times. I can only retain so much new information in one day, so I find myself writing down and highlighting a lot pertinent important during the class. Then, I go home in the evening and browse through the supplied literature and then I start to slowly retain the information at my own comfort level. This in fact, helps me place some of that missed information back into my head. WOW. Too much information in several days is really hard on me.
I’m learning so much through this course that I’m simply amazed that some of this pertinent IR camera information was not given out during the BS course. There simply isn’t enough time to learn all the fundamentals of IR inspections and reporting in the little time that is alloted. Between both courses (BS and Level 1 certifications), I now feel very confident in performing and properly interpreting IR inspections.
For those who did take the BS course, the Level 1 certification course does not teach participants identical information that was taught in BS. I did hear very little information that I did hear in the BS course, only because the information was crucial in properly performing an IR inspection. Level 1 training is everything about measuring and properly interpreting what you are actually looking at and more. I could go on and on about this particular course, but I think I said enough.
Well, Flir took all of us (students) out for dinner last evening…Lobster and drinks. It was fantastic. I had a great time getting to know more about the students (in this class) and chatting with Bernie Lyon.
I’m in class now, just finished lunch and took my second short quiz this morning. Can you believe I got another 100% on this test? Fantastic.
The big test is at 3:30 PM and I’m very confident in passing this test. Actually…A passing grade of at least 70% is mandatory in order to get Certified by Flir. Then each student must submit a field inspection to Flir for final certification that will be sent by mail.
I had mentioned earlier that this course is 5 days long. I stand corrected… It’s 4 (four) days long with an optional 5th day (FRIDAY) for those who would like to learn more about the ThermaCam reporting software versions 8 & 7. Then they take you around the facilty for a tour of the calibration room and such. I’m not interested, so today is my final day.
Both are great courses. However Level I gives you instant credibility in the court room. Level I gives you more on the camera, what you are and are not seeing through the camera. Basically therory behind how the camera works. I battled with which class to take and went with the Level I and will do the Building Science this year after I do Level II. One other thing with Level I around here I can now bid jobs with the City and County because of the Level I certification, that is another thing to think about.
