A Loretto water damage inspection isn't a walk-through with a flashlight. It's a systematic, instrument-driven assessment that produces a written report showing exactly where the water went, how saturated each affected assembly is, and what needs to happen next.
Here's what makes our Loretto inspection service more than a visual walk-through.
FLIR infrared thermal cameras detect temperature differentials in structural surfaces — a wet wall cavity cools differently than a dry one during evaporation, making moisture migration visible as a thermal signature even behind intact drywall. Our Loretto inspection team uses thermal imaging as the primary tool for tracing water migration paths through wall systems, subfloor assemblies, and ceiling cavities, identifying affected areas before a single pin is driven into a wall.
Qualitative assessment says "it looks wet." Quantified readings say "this framing is at 28% moisture content and the dry standard is 10%."
Every COS Water Damage Restoration Loretto water damage inspection produces a written report: affected area descriptions, thermal images with annotations, moisture meter readings at labeled sensor points, water category determination (Cat 1/2/3), and a recommended scope of work with priority sequencing. Reports are formatted to be useful to your insurance carrier, a remediation contractor, or a real estate transaction where water damage disclosure is at issue.
Both use cases are available in Loretto — contact us with your specific situation and our inspector will scope the right assessment.
COS Water Damage Restoration's Loretto inspection team covers every structural assembly type, every common water migration path, and every inspection use case encountered in residential and commercial water damage situations in MN.
When a water damage event has just occurred in a Loretto property — or happened within the last several days — our inspection maps the full extent of saturation while the moisture is still detectable by thermal imaging and direct meter readings. This inspection is the foundation of the remediation scope and the insurance claim documentation. Without it, remediation crews are guessing at what to dry, and insurance carriers are estimating on incomplete data. Our Loretto active event inspection captures the full saturation picture at the moment of peak detectable moisture — when the readings tell the most accurate story of what happened.
Real estate transactions in Loretto frequently involve properties with prior water events — disclosed and undisclosed. Our pre-purchase inspection uses thermal imaging and moisture meters to identify active moisture in structural assemblies, staining patterns consistent with prior water intrusion, and the condition of previous remediation. For Loretto buyers, this inspection provides either confidence that a disclosed water event was properly handled, or documentation that it was not — giving the buyer negotiating leverage and a clear picture of what additional remediation cost, if any, is warranted.
After a water damage remediation project is completed in a Loretto property — whether by COS Water Damage Restoration or another company — a verification inspection confirms that structural drying was completed to standard moisture content levels and that no hidden moisture was left behind. This inspection is requested by property owners who want independent confirmation of completion, by landlords who need documentation before returning a property to tenancy, and by sellers who need to demonstrate to a buyer that prior water damage was fully resolved. Our Loretto post-remediation inspection produces a written verification report formatted for real estate and insurance use.
Properties in Loretto that had a water event 48 hours or more before inspection — or where a slow leak went undetected for an extended period — may present mold risk alongside ongoing moisture concerns. Our mold risk assessment inspection identifies the structural conditions that support mold growth: elevated moisture content in organic materials, elevated ambient relative humidity, and the presence of visible mold growth on surface or semi-concealed areas. This assessment determines whether a standard drying-focused remediation is appropriate or whether S520-standard mold remediation protocols need to be incorporated into the project scope.
Below-grade spaces in Loretto properties — crawlspaces, basement areas, and below-slab conditions — are among the most common locations for chronic moisture problems to go undetected. Our Loretto below-grade inspection covers crawlspace wood framing moisture content readings at joists and beams, vapor barrier condition and coverage, condensation evidence on structural surfaces, and visual assessment for wood rot, fungal growth, and pest damage associated with chronic moisture. Written findings document the below-grade condition for remediation scoping or real estate disclosure.
Our Loretto inspection reports are formatted to the documentation standards that insurance carriers use to evaluate water damage claims in MN.


Same-day scheduling available for active water events. Pre-purchase inspections booked on your transaction timeline.
Systematic, instrument-driven, fully documented during the on-site session.
After the on-site assessment, your Loretto inspector reviews the key findings with you — which areas are affected, what the readings indicate, what water category applies, and what remediation is indicated. If you have questions about specific readings or want to understand what a particular finding means, this is the conversation for it. The verbal review happens on-site.
The written inspection report — thermal images with annotations, sensor point readings mapped to a floor plan, water category determination, and recommended scope — is delivered within 24-48 hours of the on-site session, formatted for insurance, remediation, or real estate use as appropriate to your situation. We're available to answer adjuster or real estate agent questions about the findings.



"We were purchasing a Loretto home where the seller had disclosed a prior basement water event and claimed it was fully remediated. COS Water Damage Restoration's pre-purchase inspection found moisture readings in the wall framing adjacent to the original event area that were significantly above dry standard — indicating incomplete drying. The written report we received gave us specific sensor point readings that we used to negotiate remediation credit from the seller before closing. Without that inspection, we would have closed into a mold problem."
"We used the COS Water Damage Restoration Loretto inspection report to file a homeowner's claim for a water damage event. The adjuster reviewed the thermal image documentation and sensor point readings and approved the full remediation scope on first submission. The inspection report paid for itself many times over by eliminating the supplement process."
"The post-remediation verification inspection is what I most value. After our last Loretto property water event, the remediation contractor signed off on completion. We had COS Water Damage Restoration do a verification inspection and found one wall section with framing still above 15% moisture content. That section would have been a mold problem within weeks. The verification inspection caught it before it became our problem."
COS Water Damage Restoration's certified inspection team serves Loretto and surrounding communities throughout MN. Call +1-844-499-0972 to schedule your Loretto inspection.
Whether you need inspection for an active event, a purchase, or post-remediation verification — our Loretto team produces a written, instrument-backed report. Call +1-844-499-0972 to schedule.
📞 Call +1-844-499-0972 — Schedule Loretto InspectionIICRC Certified · FLIR Thermal Imaging · Written Reports · Loretto, MN