Water damage · Tierra Verde, FL · July 2026
A roof leak we found with a thermal camera, then dried without cutting out drywall
There was no stain on the wall. The thermal camera still found water behind the crown molding and baseboard of a second-floor stairwell, and in the garage ceiling below. Six days later the readings were dry and our equipment was gone.
What we found
The roof had a temporary repair over the weekend before we arrived. On our inspection, the thermal camera showed moisture behind the crown molding and baseboard of the second-floor stairwell. Our meter confirmed the drywall was wet even though there was no staining or discoloration.
- Top of the stairwell wall, where it meets the ceiling: about 2 ft wide by 1 ft tall
- Bottom of the same wall, at the stair landing: about 2 ft wide by 1 ft tall
- Garage ceiling directly below the stairwell: about 2 ft long by 6 in wide
What we did
First we made sure the leak had stopped. We ran an extensive water test on the roof to check the temporary repair for any active leaks.
The wet areas were small and the water was clean, so this was a dry-in-place job. Nothing had to be torn out. We set two dehumidifiers and three air movers on the second floor and in the garage gym, and left them running until the readings reached the IICRC dry standard.
How we knew it was dry
- July 20 · Call received and job opened.
- July 23 · Inspection, roof water test, equipment set. Indoor conditions 74°F and 43% relative humidity.
- July 29 · All areas read dry. Equipment removed. Indoor humidity down to 38%.
Measured floor plan
Our LiDAR scan of the affected rooms. Every wall, floor and ceiling is measured, so the insurance estimate is built from real square footage.
