Dear Paul:
Welcome to the world of thermography!
With proper care and planning, infrared thermography provides several significant opportunities for home and building inspectors.
As a home inspector, infrared thermography can help you to expand your business and increase revenue. Adding thermography to your existing services can also be advantageous in competitive situations when you are seen as being on ‘the cutting edge’ of technology.
Should you choose to go beyond home inspections, thermographic inspections for commercial and industrial facilities can provide a cash flow in excess of $200,000 per year. Typical applications for these facilities include, but are not limited to, electrical and mechanical systems, HVAC systems, building envelopes, and flat roofs.
In order to maximize your chances for success, you will need to acquire an imager sufficient to the application(s) you intend to provide. You will also need to become certified to at least Level I.
The best advice I can offer is to take your training before you buy an imager. Doing so will allow you to see the many applications of thermography and enable you to make an informed decision regarding an imager purchase.
Should you care to learn more about the potential of thermography, I would invite you to check out our web-based short course, Infrared Thermography for Home and Building Inspectors. This 29 minute presentation is available 24/7 and is free to NACHI members.
If you are ready to start your infrared training now, I would recommend either Infraspection Institute’s 32 hour Level I course ($1695) or our 16 hour course, Infrared Inspections for Home & Building Inspectors ($195 for InterNACHI members). Both are availble as open enrollment classes or via our web-based distance learning program.
Should you have further questions, you may also contact me directly. I wish you the best of luck and look forward to supporting your future endeavors.