Thermal imaging’s a great tool, but it’s definitely not infallible. I’ve had a few false alarms—one time it flagged a “wet” spot in my living room ceiling, and I nearly tore into the drywall before realizing it was just a cold air return duct behind the plaster. That said, I’d rather be the person who checks twice than the one mopping up a mess later. Water’s sneaky, and in older places, you never really know what’s lurking behind the walls.
I get where you’re coming from about not wanting to poke holes everywhere, though. I’ve patched enough drywall over the years to know it’s not exactly fun. But after finding a slow leak behind my bathroom vanity (thanks to a faint musty smell and some warped trim), I’m a bit more trigger-happy with the moisture meter. The repair itself was easy, but the mold remediation cost me way more than I’d like to admit.
I do wish inspectors would err on the side of caution, especially when the house has some age on it. Sometimes they seem a little too quick to chalk things up to “drafts” or “settling.” I get that they don’t want to alarm buyers, but ignoring subtle signs can come back to bite you.
If you’re seeing something odd on thermal, even if it’s just a small patch, it’s worth at least drilling a tiny inspection hole. Worst case, you patch it and move on. Best case, you catch something before it gets ugly. I’d rather have a few extra paint touch-ups than deal with a full-blown remediation job.
Funny how we all start out thinking we’ll keep our walls pristine, then after a couple of leaks, you start eyeing the utility knife like it’s your best friend...
Funny how we all start out thinking we’ll keep our walls pristine, then after a couple of leaks, you start eyeing the utility knife like it’s your best friend...
Totally relate to this. My first year in the house, I was so careful about not making a mess, but after chasing a phantom leak that turned out to be condensation from a poorly insulated vent, I kinda gave up on perfection. Curious—has anyone found a reliable way to tell the difference between moisture from a leak vs. just cold spots or drafts on thermal? I swear, sometimes it feels like guesswork.
Thermal cameras are great, but yeah, they can be a bit of a guessing game. I’ve found that actual leaks usually show up as irregular, “blobby” cold spots that don’t match the framing or vent lines—whereas drafts or cold spots from poor insulation tend to follow straight lines or corners. Sometimes I’ll use a moisture meter just to double-check if I’m not sure. Still, I’ve cut into more drywall than I care to admit chasing what turned out to be nothing but cold air...
- Been there with the drywall... my wallet still remembers.
- I picked up a cheap thermal camera attachment for my phone—honestly, it’s more “ballpark” than “bullseye.”
- I usually check the cold spots near outlets and windows first. If it lines up with a stud, I just assume it’s insulation being weird.
- Moisture meter is on my wish list, but for now, I just poke around and hope for the best.
- Sometimes I think my house is trolling me—looks ancient on camera, but it’s only 15 years old.
- Cheap thermal cams are fun, but yeah, “ballpark” is generous sometimes. I’ve seen them call out cold spots that turned out to be just a drafty outlet box.
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Happens more than you’d think. Bad insulation jobs or weird framing can make a newer place look like a relic on thermal.Sometimes I think my house is trolling me—looks ancient on camera, but it’s only 15 years old.
- Poking around works... until you hit a pipe (ask me how I know). Moisture meters are handy, but not magic either.
- Honestly, age isn’t always the issue—sometimes it’s just shoddy work or cheap materials. Seen plenty of “young” houses with old-house problems.
