Guides · Rockland County, NY

Guides: leaks, moisture and thermal imaging

Plain-language guides for homeowners and property managers. Each one is built on official and professional sources — U.S. and New York State agencies, universities, a New York trade magazine and an industry standard — quoted briefly and linked, so you can read them yourself.

Why the stain on your ceiling is rarely right under the leakA stain shows where water ended up, not where it got in. What it can tell you, and where to look first.A thermal camera alone is not enough: why a moisture meter is needed tooA thermal camera shows temperature, not water. Why every cool spot is checked with a moisture meter.How do you know the wall is dry before you close it?Dry to the touch is not dry. Repeated readings, a dry reference, and a wet area that shrinks.Where heat and cold escape: what a thermal scan showsWhat a thermal scan shows about air leaks, missing insulation, windows and doors.

The sources behind these guides

University of Wisconsin–Extension, Kenosha County, “Assessing and Repairing Leaky Roofs” (PDF)
U.S. EPA — moisture meters
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver, “Consumer Guide to Home Energy Assessments” (PDF)
NYSERDA — New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, “The Complete Guide to Home Energy Assessments”
Habitat Magazine, “Detecting Leaks with Infrared Thermography”, September 2012
Barreira, Almeida and Delgado, University of Porto, “Infrared thermography for assessing moisture related phenomena in building components”, Construction and Building Materials 110 (2016): 251–269
IICRC, ANSI/IICRC S500 — industry standard for water damage restoration (not a government rule)

This guide is general information for homeowners and property managers, not an assessment of a specific building.