If you really want to know what’s going on in your home, then Stefan Mayer is the guy for you.
While qualifying as a yacht surveyor, the 38-year-old South African became fascinated by the possible uses of thermal imaging – heat-sensitive photography – in rooting out common problems in ordinary households.
Where is that damp coming from? Is my wiring safe? Why are my heating bills so high?
It’s early days for Stefan’s Valbonne-based business, Astema, but Stefan is already discovering new and valuable uses for his craft.
“Solar panels usually have a five-year guarantee,” says Stefan, who is married with three young children. “It makes sense to have a thermal imaging check on them as they approach the end of that period. This can show up defective cells in the panel, and a claim can be made for a replacement panel.”

“Not only do leaks within a home waste precious water, they contribute to high humidity conditions, which in turn lead to unnecessary energy consumption through the full-time use of dehumidifiers.”

Great – or not so great. So what do I do about it? A visit from a plumber doesn’t sound like the worst idea in the world. Can Stefan recommend a reliable tradesman? He cannot.
“It’s important that people see me for what I am – completely independent of any other business. The client can be sure I am not exaggerating problems in order to get work for a associated company. The technology is open to abuse by the unscrupulous, who can fiddle with the colour scales of the images in order to blow a small problem into a much bigger one.”

See more at http://www.infraredriviera.com
