Could there be water eating into your floor joists and external walls without you knowing? Yes.
First of all, take a look at this photo and tell me what you see?
The photo of the left shows how a hidden leak behind the external wall of a house has eaten away the timber framing, then found it’s way into the floor joists which eventually caused a section of the flooring to collapse!
Here’s the interesting part… when you look at the wall, there is absolutely no visual evidence of moisture damage to the internal lining, yet the timber framing behind it is COMPLETELY rotted as seen in the photo to the right.
After 1000′s of thermal imaging and moisture inspections, it’s amazing how we keep coming across scenarios that just make you shake your head. It’s images like these that are the precise reason why so many clients get an annual moisture and leak test of their house to prevent the damage getting to this point.
Don’t hire a building inspector unless they carry an infrared camera!
Here’s another thermal imaging photo of a leak behind a wall doing damage, which could only be seen with infrared:
Again… no visual evidence of a leak on lining or under the carpet. Home owner had no idea.
If you own a home and you’ve never had a thermal scan of your house, then now is the time. For the modest price for a thermal imaging inspection, you could save yourself thousands of dollars. The top image with the collapsed floor will cost around $15,000 + to fix, as the whole structural integrity of the area is compromised.
