There is a new myth running rampant in the Utah marketplace that a home inspector can do a simple non-invasive scan with a thermal imaging camera and determine if there is damage behind stucco.

WARNING: BUYERS BEWARE... This is false, false, false, yet many are falling for the myth!

Please keep in mind that the thermal imaging camera is one tool in a huge quiver for detecting issues in residential and commercial buildings. It is NOT a moisture meter and never has been, yet many give it that credit. Thermal imaging cameras detect heat signatures and water entry conditions can give off differing heat signatures. Why then does thermal imaging not work convincingly with stucco?

Let me answer that question for the two main types of stucco found here in Utah...

HARDCOAT STUCCO - Cement based hardcoat stucco is applied 1/2” to 3/4” thick over a metal lath and stucco paper. This type of stucco is meant to get wet and the drainage plane underneath prevents excessive water from reaching the wood behind the stucco system. The infrared camera can tell where the excessively wet stucco is, but does not give a reading of the condition of the wood underneath. The thermal images can look horrific, without any wood damage present. In other cases, there can be major water entry and rot going on and no visual evidences show up in the thermal imaging. This scenario is complicated in our low humidity high heat of the summer when the entire structure is literally baked dry. The only sure solution is to probe!

EIFS - EIFS synthetic stucco uses a foam board from 1/2” to 4” thick over the wood framing. Pre-2000 systems allowed the foam to be installed directly to the wood, while newer installations require a drainage plane between the foam and the wood framing. The thermal imaging camera reveals clearly where water gets beneath the thin surface of the stucco, but reveals nothing of what is going on with the wood framing. The foam is a perfect concealer for all rotting activity. The only sure solution for EIFS is to probe!

THERMAL IMAGING EIFS/STUCCO MYTH ORIGIN: Having been involved in the inspection industry since 1995, I have watched home inspectors latch on to a new expensive tools/gadgets and then look for ways to make money with the tool. Wise inspectors get a new tool and then seek the best training to learn its limitations and strengths. When thermal imaging came on to the scene it was touted as the incredible new “Silver Bullet” solution for many concealed construction defects. And along with the $5,000 to $30,000 price tag comes the guilt if the tool is not used. Inspectors need to make money, and the thermal imaging camera produces incredible colorful images that  both wow and amaze. The general public can be easily fooled and separated from their hard earned money when shown new gadgetry.

The flip side of the Utah market involves a real estate sales industry that is struggling and does always not want the real conditions present in the home to get in the way of a sale. Invasive Moisture Intrusion Inspections yield factual results of repairs that can be very costly and sometimes “kill the deal”.

PLEASE NOTE: The probing inspection NEVER kills the deal. The water entry, mold, and rot present in the structure is guilty for killing the deal!

Many agents want to know the truth about stucco damage issues, but there are a growing number that seem to want the inspection process to be trouble free with no issues. They fall easy prey when a home inspector says that probing isn’t needed because they have a brand new non-invasive thermal imaging tool. It is almost understandable why the agents would latch on to this new headache free type of test. The myth is easily perpetuated. As a prospective buyer, ask yourself whether your agent is more concerned about the truth, or are they more concerned about calming a buyer that is concerned with the possibility of mold, rot, and expensive repairs.

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS DISCLAIMER: Beware of those who offer to use thermal imaging at any time of the day. Infrared cameras are very sensitive to weather conditions and to normal wide variations in field conditions.  The best exterior images can often be taken only for an hour or so after sundown, and that can mean after 10 pm in the middle of summer. Using one on the exterior of a home when it is 100 degrees outside in direct sunlight is a virtually a waste of time for accurate readings. Thermal imaging cameras are prone to both false positives and false negatives.  IR cameras can be a very useful scanning tool, but the only way to know for sure how much water, rot, mold, and damage is behind the stucco system is by inserting probes and measuring it. Don’t settle for anything less!