Why the C5 works well for home inspections
Home inspection is not only about spotting a temperature difference; the inspector also has to explain and document what was found. The C5's combination of radiometric thermal data, a 5 MP visual camera and FLIR's MSX enhancement makes images easier to interpret later than a basic low-cost thermal attachment that only shows a heat map.
Thermal image quality
The C5 uses a 160 × 120 detector, giving 19,200 thermal measurement pixels. That is enough for many building-diagnostic tasks such as spotting insulation anomalies, moisture patterns, HVAC distribution differences and overheating components, but it is not comparable with higher-resolution professional cameras used for demanding thermography.
MSX and visual context
MSX overlays visible-scene edge detail onto the thermal image. That does not increase the thermal detector resolution, but it can make a report image easier to understand because outlines, labels and physical features remain recognizable.
Documentation workflow
The camera can store more than 5,000 images, uses standard JPEG files containing measurement data, and includes Wi-Fi connectivity to FLIR Ignite. For inspectors producing client reports, that workflow can save time compared with manually transferring and matching separate visual and thermal images.
Durability and portability
FLIR rates the C5 housing to IP54 and a 2 m drop. The body is small enough to be carried in a pocket, which matters on inspections where a tool left in the vehicle is a tool that does not get used.