Your students must be pulling your leg and filling your head with useless information.
I must be the only one that has taken that an IR camera is a business deduction. If you buy equipment this year it is still a 100% tax deduction meaning you don’t have to write it off over the coming years, to me its pay uncle same 3-4.000 or buy a camera and gain more business and revenue. Seems pretty simple to me but then again, I don’t overthink things to much.
John I would like to know how you are going about receiving your IR business, and where the most potential is, residential or commercial. Feel free to PM me, if preferred. 
This might prove to be interesting http://www.pqndt.com/resources.html
Mic
Yet another good point, that I forgot about.
If you couple that with the current promos (free level I training) on the Ti32 and TiR32 that we have on infraspection training you are out nothing, and be trained on, commercial/industrial IR.
JJ
This is a good reason to go thermal.
Few are willing to pay (So you be the only one to do it and get a head up on those who are too cheap to do so). Honestly, the cameras are getting less expensive every day and there are all kinds of small business loans available, especially with Energy Audit inspections,
Think ahead and be a professional. :mrgreen:
Points well made., Remember, I wrote the first part of John’s course (i.e., the physics part).
I use IR for all inspections. Covers my butt. But I charge higher for EVERY home inspection. I learned, today, that an inspector that I helped train and gave many ride alongs to is charging (for a standard home inspections) about $75 dollars more than I am charging.
And that is not counting the water intrusion inspections (not part of a Real Estate transaction) that he is charging even more for. See the water intrusion / mold inspection report, below. He did a “ride along” with me on that one and it was what convinced him to gat a camera.
As he said, at the time of the inspection, “Inspection for nothing and the camera for free!” Well said.
Time to raise my prices 
(including for ride alongs!)
Then, there are the consultations.
See here:
http://deckerhomeservices.com/2009-082%20Decker.pdf
and here:
http://deckerhomeservices.com/Sample_Reports_files/Sample%20Water%20Intrusion.pdf
and, for regular home inspections, here:
That cinder block picture is from an inspection of a $2.7 Mil property for the President of a large local company. He did not buy the property and, after 2 more inspections (for which he was charged, big time), we finally found a good house for him.
I did a good inspection, and charged him for it, and he has sent me MANY referrals.
Expand your market and get more business and make more money.
Simple, really.
That means more work, and more income. :mrgreen:
As to making money from charging for training,
That is what this whole thread is about.
I will be teaching this class, for Dave an the Winsonsin Chapter, and I will be charging the Wisconsin chapter for it, but not $500 a head.
Not criticizing John, just giving back to those who helped me.
Scripture says that “The worker is worth his wage.”
I have been helped by NACHI and I want to pay back.
Not casting aspersions on anyone else, just stating my choice.
Each of you have to make your own choice, and you will get no judgement from me.
BTW: The water intrusion course, from InfraMation is now a state licensed course in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, and I will be teaching it, next Thursday, for the local Chicagoland chapter, and will be paying the same fee as any other Chapter member (but, I get the state CE credit).
This is NACHI!!!
I put tons of information about IR on my website and include
thermal imaging with every inspection. I will not do an inspection
without thermal imaging. Then I answer each phone call and share
with the client why IR is so important. I honestly felt my numbers
were low all this time. I am shocked that anyone is surprised by
them. Of coarse, I got into IR before the housing industry crashed,
but still… new students sign up for our IR class every month.
I keep getting glowing reports from some of the people who
write back to me and tell me that IR has helped their bottom line.
I think Infra Red is a great idea. Personally once I get my gun I’ll include the service with all my home inspections. Yesterday I did a HI and the Attic was finished. The roof was in good shape still however age of the roof cover definately was starting to show. My question is I didn’t see any signs of water damage on the ceiling. If the roof decking had moisture intrusion would Infra Red pick this up or would the ceiling stop the cam from scanning the roof deck?
Think like a business and not a sole proprietor.
Specifically, I mean think Cash Flow.
If you can finance a IR imager for $200/month, can you make that back?
I say, you bet! That’s just 2 hours of (extra) work. Plus take all the deduction in one year. The first year, you could actually come out AHEAD financially even if the IR imager makes you $0!
Plus all the reasons that you saw posted on this thread: Higher fees (or extra fees), more referrals, less liability, happier clients, ability to diversify, etc.
It’s a no-brainer, IMO.
Two things to consider when thinking about IR and moisture detections.
1- Only the temperatures that make it to the surface will show up on the IR camera.
2- Moisture flows down and dissipates, evaporates, dries out with air flow and heat (such as a slanted roof with a hot attic under it that is vented)
-Can you see the roof decking through the ceiling material? NO
-Can you see if the roof decking is wet from the attic area? Sometimes (if it is still wet and good delta T)
-Can you see if the roof decking is wet from the top side of a slanted roof? Probably NOT (moisture dissipates and flows down… and it leaves very little heat signature to make it through your traditional shingles… but it may still be visible on RARE occasions)… Seeing water ponding and it’s temperature under a flat roof is more likely, but that is a whole new topic.
That is how I look at it… and for the same reasons you stated.
OK guys - Lets be honest and quit coming up with these weak reasons to get into IR.
Bottom line - Its the hot real estate babes that think IR is sexy. When they hear an inspector has a IR (thermal imager) it drives them insane thinking about guys with a Thermal Imager. So they call us night and day.
Thats the real reason to get into IR and buy a Thermal Imager.
Well said, Dan. But how do you explain me. I am very happily married.
Here is one reason, that I just saw today.
Newer house (built in 2005) and it was a short sale. Made sure that the Realtor had the utilities turned on. When I inspect these (or forclosures) I first turn on all the water (showers, tubs, basins, sinks and flush each toilet a couple of times.
Low and behold, the thermal camera showed a hot spot (for everything accept toilets, I run the hot water, also tests the water heater). The master bedroom’s sink drain pipe was leaking. It was rignt in the middle of the kitchen / dining room area. No visable signs. Also, there was a slight roof leak at the front (open seam at the termination bar), but no visable signs on the ceiling.
Now think what the client, who was already freaked out about buying a short sale, would do when he moved in and, two weeks later, the water starts coming down into the kitchen. Yeah, I’m gonna get one of those “Your did our home inspection…” calls.
Like I say, I use IR to cover my butt,. but I explain to my clients that by covering my butt, I am also covering their butts.
Hope this helps;
Will do you have pictures of both the area being observed without IR then with?
Best reason is… you can see through the hot RE babes clothes!!:mrgreen::twisted:
Here’s the kitchen photos, normal and thermal. Verified woth a Protimeter, of course (ALWAYS verify!).
Linus, not a good thing to perpetuate that myth. IR DOES NOT look through things, only at surface temperatures.
I bought the “see through series 69”:mrgreen:
Incredible Will. So the small dark spot is the leak? What color is cold spots lacking insulation? Love to see pics of the other defect as well if you have it. When you bought your gun did you have a hard time selling the service or do you simply use your gun on all home inspections at little or no extra cost or you simply roll the cost into your home inspection prices?
Cold spots lacking insulation will be a similar color. That’s why it’s always important to verify these anomalies with a moisture meter.