It is NOT X-ray, it will not allow you to see things behind walls…. “Thermal Imaging,” or “Infrared Imaging,” refers to a technology that allows a camera, or other device, to view and photograph any given area and display temperature differentials for what is in the image.
For the basics on what Thermal Imaging is as a whole, there is a nice article here: https://www.visiononline.org/blog-article.cfm/What-is-Thermal-Imaging/8
From a home inspectors perspective, and why this technology is a very useful tool in our arsenal, what is valuable is what the camera will assist us with. A “thermal image,” example above that many people have seen, is an image displayed in a multi colored format that a trained inspector can decipher. Those colors show the inspector the differences in temperature of those areas of the image. This allows the inspector to focus attention on specific areas of the image to look for things that may be a hazard, such as moisture damage. This allows the inspector to further investigate the area of concern with other tools, such as a moisture detector. Often times moisture damage is not visible, especially in a ceiling. The Thermal Camera allows us the opportunity to possibly find damage that may otherwise have been invisible to the naked eye.
At Fruitful Home Inspections, we use state of the art Thermal Imaging devices to assist us in finding defects in your home. Check us out at www.fruitfulhomeinspections.com and see how we can serve you today!