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The power of technology helps us help you.

Our cutting edge Infra-Red technology gives us, and you, the power to see what no one else can see.

Halton Home Inspection Service is one of the few inspection services in Canada that has invested in expensive and advanced Forward Looking Infra Red, (FLIR) technology to enhance our Home Inspection Services.

We now use our FLIR b50 Infra-Red Camera, pictured above, to locate hidden defects, leaks, water damage, missing insulation*, electrical defects, and other potential problems in your home.

When problems like moisture are found with the b50 camera, we will use it to take an Infra-Red image and a regular digital image of the area where the problem is. We will then produce, and e-mail you a PDF FLIR Report showing both images with a description of the issue. This will give you solid documentation to provide to your builder.

Please note that during our Warranty Inspections we currently scan 1st floor ceilings for water damage and moisture from 2nd floor bathrooms that is normally invisible to us. We will scan electrical panels if we suspect a problem and check for insulation issues when possible* in areas where we suspect problems.

* Missing insulation can only be detected when the outdoor temperature is well below or above the indoor temperature.

Everything is not always as it seems.

Below - is an image of a covered HVAC vent in a new home. No doubt about it, a lazy tile installer did not take the time to cut the tile(s) for a floor register. Oh heck,,, maybe it was Friday afternoon.



Below - are Infra Red images of a few small second floor ceiling leaks from the roof. Small leaks like this can cause the most damage because they can go un-noticed for a long time.





Below - Missing caulking at this front balcony door threshold has allowed water into the home. Identified in the Infra Red image by the darker stain on the rug at the base of the door that is only visible with Infra Red.



Below - now isn't that a nice warm master bathroom floor. The light coloured strips indicate that the floor is properly heated.



For additional information, or to book your inspection, please feel free to call - Andy Shaw - 905 876 4761

http://www.haltoninspections.com

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Wow that is some pretty scary stuff. Thanks for sharing those pictures Andy. Do you include the infra-red imaging as part of your regular service?

Thanks!

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Hi Buttafly77,

I including Infra-Red thermography in a basic diagnostic way for no additional fee during my inspections, mainly to detect moisture and insulation issues.

As part of my service I scan first floor ceilings below washrooms for hidden thermal signs of moisture. I also measure the temperature of air coming out of supply registers to confirm air flow consistency and performance of the HVAC distribution system.

I can also detect voids in the attic insulation by looking at the second floor ceilings with infra-red. This is a common problem, especially in Mattamy homes as they do a poor job of protecting the attic insulation from wind coming in at the soffit areas.

I also use it for no additional fee during inspections if I feel it may help to determine a cause of a problem.

For example,

Sometimes, while inspecting electrical panels, I will hear a hum sound. This problem is usually associated with a loose wire, defective breaker, or loose breaker. My Infra-Red camera will instantly identify the problem which is then noted on the report.

Another example,

The other day while inspecting a large home with a double garage we noted an area of damage at the top of a wall in the living room. My camera confirmed that the end of a steel I-beam was behind this damaged area. We concluded that this large 20 foot long steel I-beam was the support beam over the double garage. It is likely expanding and contracting along it's length just enough to cause the damage on the living room wall.

This fall and during the winter months I will also offer services to confirm insulation levels and/or to find missing insulation in homes. This will be a separate service. We will also be available for leak detection.

Thanks for your interest.

Andy Shaw - 905 876 4761
http://www.haltoninspections.com

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Typical photo of a bedroom ceiling until an Infra Red camera is used. If you look carefully at both images you will see that they are both photos of the same area. While the typical photo looks normal the IR photo clearly shows that dark area where attic insulation is missing above this room. Considering this is a new home I would think this to be a fairly significant defect that will now be repaired buy the builder because this was identified during a One Year Warranty Inspection.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 11:15 pm.

Post subject: Thanks Andy Shaw ( Halton Home Inspection )

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Hi Andy
What info would you require to provide your service fee and how much time notice do you need from date of inspection?

thanks
Rajnish

Thanks Rajnish for the note and sorry for the delay getting back to you.
All I need is a phone call from you with the size of your home. Or you can visit our "Fee Schedule" on our website.

http://www.haltoninspections.com

I usually need a week to 10 days notice but you can phone and book anytime. Many people book weeks and even months in advance.

We also offer a reminder service where people phone us well in advance and give us their Date-of-Possession, address, and phone number. We then phone them six weeks prior to their year end and schedule their inspection appointment.

Andy Shaw - 905 876 4761

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Roof Flashing Detail in wrong place.

Below in the left photo you see a silver metal flashing detail that is in the wrong place. It should be installed behind the fascia material like on the photo at the right. This poor installation has created a leak at that flashing location because water running down the fascia goes behind the flashing instead of being deflected to the roof and away from the home. Often small leaks like this go undetected for many years and can create structural damage and rot.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Andy, I understand Mattamy is not allowing Home Inspectors any say in the PDI, is this still true? If so, can I sign over my rights to you and designate you to do the inspection without me present? Does Mattamy allow someone else besides the owner to conduct the PDI on the owners behave? This may be one way to get around Mattamy's strong arm tactics.

Hi samsvoc,

At this point Mattamy has only banned one Inspector from their property, and after that problem they also decided to insist that all other Home Inspectors sign a Code of Conduct contract that demands them to "observe silently" or to go off on their own and make notes.


Andy Shaw - 905 876 4761

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

It's never a waste of time when you are doing the right thing.

I would first ask Mattamy to send you a copy of their Code of Conduct contract. I would then go over to Tarion and ask them why you would need to follow that Code of Conduct.

Your actions may help others in the future.

Andy

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Andy, where can I get the Mattamy Code of Conduct, Sales Centre, Design Centre, Warranty office or head office? Thanks

The beauty of Infra Red is that it sees what we can't see.

The ceiling in this home looks perfectly fine untill you look at it with an Infra Red camera.

The dark areas are moisture above the drywall from a second floor washroom. This moisture changes the temperature of the surface of the drywall and it can be seen with the IR camera. Eventually there will be visible evidence and surface damage on the ceiling.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761