Thermography Applications
What are some ways this technology be useful?
Home Energy Audits
Thermography is well suited to this application. The energy audit involves a scan of the
structure with the inside and outside having a minimum temperature difference of at least
20 degrees. You can detect leaks around windows and doors or missing/damaged
insulation in the outside and inside walls/floors/ceilings. Also the HVAC duct insulation is a
major factor. If the ducts inside ceilings and walls have not been adequately insulated
condensation can occur which can build up and saturate the surrounding structure causing
water damage and or mold propagation. Thermography can detect these areas of
inadequate insulation so they can be repaired. More Info
Moisture Detection - Thermal imaging is a great tool that helps identify water damage.
By noting the temperature difference between a more dense saturated area and the
surrounding dry areas, thermal imaging can detect moist areas that would not be visible
during a primarily visual home inspection.
Insulation problems - Thermal Imaging is also great at identifying areas where the
insulation may be poor, fastening methods have failed, or where inadequate installation
methods caused the insulation to slip down inside the wall. Example
Stucco Inspections - or EIFS, If there is rot behind stucco finishes it is often visible with
thermal imaging. Thermal imaging helps to quantify the affected areas of moisture damage
as well. By utilizing thermal imaging in stucco inspections we can better identify trouble
areas in need of repair.
Wood Destroying Insect & Rodents - Significant wood destroying insect and
rodent activity can be detected using thermal imaging due to the heat generated by active
infestations. Termite and rodent activity produces heat that is often visible to the thermal
camera. Minor activity may not be detectable but areas not normally visible to the naked eye
can be identified, and then a more invasive or technically exhaustive inspection can be
carried out by the appropriate professional. Termites and other insects and rodents also
nest together and these concentrated areas of pests can also be detected inside walls and
floors with no invasive procedure required; minimizing once again the area necessary to
invade to provide access for exterminators. More Info
Flat Roof
If you have leaking area/s on a new to mid life flat roof and have been told that a new roof is
needed, call us first. We may be able to save you a substantial amount of money. Thermal
imaging can determine the precise location of the leak and the resulting saturated area/s so
that a cost effective solution can be resolved. Repairs can then be made to those areas only
or possibly the entire roof may still need to be replaced. Also if you have a newer roof that is
about to go out of warranty (40% will fail in the first year), we can determine if there are any
defects now, before you have to pay for repairs to your new roof. EXAMPLE
Electrical
Bad electrical connections, shorts, worn parts and other factors can cause power outages
and costly damages and down time. We can inspect electrical equipment to detect
problems before a breakdown. Thermal imaging inspection can detect hot spots in the
electrical system not visible even to the trained naked eye which may become a costly power
issue or worse, a safety one. The resulting report can be a great aid for electricians and
maintenance staff, reducing their repair time, production down time and maybe change the
color of your bottom line. More Info
Plumbing
Leaks from plumbing systems often go undetected until major damage has occurred. We
can scan in, under, and around plumbing to determine if there is an active leak. Thermal
image scanning can detect temperature anomalies in the plumbing system caused by
sediment or mineral clogged water heaters. Find clogged plumbing drain lines, clogged or
leaking industrial product transportation lines, even verify storage tank volumes for
equipment calibration or inventory purposes. EXAMPLE
Block Wall Construction
Block wall constructions can be scanned for a multitude of defects. Thermography is
applicable to almost all types of masonry including brick, cinder block, stone, and even
man-made materials. For QA/QC Inspections, problems like improper fill in blocks, voids,
defects, and inadequate rebar or mortar can be diagnosed relatively easily. This is a new
and exciting application; more applications are being discovered every day. More Info #1, #2
Sample Block Wall NDT Report
Mold Spore Detection
Heard about the "sick building syndrome" plaguing people all over North America? One of
the leading causes of this is bacteria in buildings with improper construction or improper
insulation. Mold is a serious problem that has forced people to abandon many structures.
Mold typically occurs in areas of a specific temperature and moisture content. Thermography
can detect the infrared signature caused by moisture damage to drywall, insulation, and
other materials. Once moisture penetrates the building structure it becomes trapped inside
areas with inadequate ventilation and stays moist which propagates mold.
Mechanical PDM
This application goes hand in hand with electrical maintenance in keeping facilities up and
running nonstop. Motors, shafts, bearings, ovens, boilers, freezers, and any moving part can
be inspected for thermal anomalies. Almost all mechanical failures are a result of some
sort of friction or vibration. Friction/Vibrations are indicated by in increase in temperature
which thermal cameras can easily spot before a failure occurs. Example
Electrical PDM
This is the largest application for thermal infrared cameras. Virtually all electrical
components can be surveyed with an infrared camera. Common breaker panels,
switchgear, motor control centers, and bus bar connections can all be inspected for
anomalies. Thermographers can easily survey electrical generation and distribution
facilities, all types of transmission lines, pole mounted transformers, large substation
transformers, knife disconnect switches, and any other electrical connection. An infrared
camera can reveal loose/dirty connections, unbalanced loads/phase problems, overloaded
circuits, and even non-electrical problems like oil level in oil filled transformers. The value of
infrared inspections of electrical systems has been repeatedly proven.
Some More Applications
http://www.flirthermography.com/media/2005-033%20VanBree.pdf
Home Energy Audits
Thermography is well suited to this application. The energy audit involves a scan of the
structure with the inside and outside having a minimum temperature difference of at least
20 degrees. You can detect leaks around windows and doors or missing/damaged
insulation in the outside and inside walls/floors/ceilings. Also the HVAC duct insulation is a
major factor. If the ducts inside ceilings and walls have not been adequately insulated
condensation can occur which can build up and saturate the surrounding structure causing
water damage and or mold propagation. Thermography can detect these areas of
inadequate insulation so they can be repaired. More Info
Moisture Detection - Thermal imaging is a great tool that helps identify water damage.
By noting the temperature difference between a more dense saturated area and the
surrounding dry areas, thermal imaging can detect moist areas that would not be visible
during a primarily visual home inspection.
Insulation problems - Thermal Imaging is also great at identifying areas where the
insulation may be poor, fastening methods have failed, or where inadequate installation
methods caused the insulation to slip down inside the wall. Example
Stucco Inspections - or EIFS, If there is rot behind stucco finishes it is often visible with
thermal imaging. Thermal imaging helps to quantify the affected areas of moisture damage
as well. By utilizing thermal imaging in stucco inspections we can better identify trouble
areas in need of repair.
Wood Destroying Insect & Rodents - Significant wood destroying insect and
rodent activity can be detected using thermal imaging due to the heat generated by active
infestations. Termite and rodent activity produces heat that is often visible to the thermal
camera. Minor activity may not be detectable but areas not normally visible to the naked eye
can be identified, and then a more invasive or technically exhaustive inspection can be
carried out by the appropriate professional. Termites and other insects and rodents also
nest together and these concentrated areas of pests can also be detected inside walls and
floors with no invasive procedure required; minimizing once again the area necessary to
invade to provide access for exterminators. More Info
Flat Roof
If you have leaking area/s on a new to mid life flat roof and have been told that a new roof is
needed, call us first. We may be able to save you a substantial amount of money. Thermal
imaging can determine the precise location of the leak and the resulting saturated area/s so
that a cost effective solution can be resolved. Repairs can then be made to those areas only
or possibly the entire roof may still need to be replaced. Also if you have a newer roof that is
about to go out of warranty (40% will fail in the first year), we can determine if there are any
defects now, before you have to pay for repairs to your new roof. EXAMPLE
Electrical
Bad electrical connections, shorts, worn parts and other factors can cause power outages
and costly damages and down time. We can inspect electrical equipment to detect
problems before a breakdown. Thermal imaging inspection can detect hot spots in the
electrical system not visible even to the trained naked eye which may become a costly power
issue or worse, a safety one. The resulting report can be a great aid for electricians and
maintenance staff, reducing their repair time, production down time and maybe change the
color of your bottom line. More Info
Plumbing
Leaks from plumbing systems often go undetected until major damage has occurred. We
can scan in, under, and around plumbing to determine if there is an active leak. Thermal
image scanning can detect temperature anomalies in the plumbing system caused by
sediment or mineral clogged water heaters. Find clogged plumbing drain lines, clogged or
leaking industrial product transportation lines, even verify storage tank volumes for
equipment calibration or inventory purposes. EXAMPLE
Block Wall Construction
Block wall constructions can be scanned for a multitude of defects. Thermography is
applicable to almost all types of masonry including brick, cinder block, stone, and even
man-made materials. For QA/QC Inspections, problems like improper fill in blocks, voids,
defects, and inadequate rebar or mortar can be diagnosed relatively easily. This is a new
and exciting application; more applications are being discovered every day. More Info #1, #2
Sample Block Wall NDT Report
Mold Spore Detection
Heard about the "sick building syndrome" plaguing people all over North America? One of
the leading causes of this is bacteria in buildings with improper construction or improper
insulation. Mold is a serious problem that has forced people to abandon many structures.
Mold typically occurs in areas of a specific temperature and moisture content. Thermography
can detect the infrared signature caused by moisture damage to drywall, insulation, and
other materials. Once moisture penetrates the building structure it becomes trapped inside
areas with inadequate ventilation and stays moist which propagates mold.
Mechanical PDM
This application goes hand in hand with electrical maintenance in keeping facilities up and
running nonstop. Motors, shafts, bearings, ovens, boilers, freezers, and any moving part can
be inspected for thermal anomalies. Almost all mechanical failures are a result of some
sort of friction or vibration. Friction/Vibrations are indicated by in increase in temperature
which thermal cameras can easily spot before a failure occurs. Example
Electrical PDM
This is the largest application for thermal infrared cameras. Virtually all electrical
components can be surveyed with an infrared camera. Common breaker panels,
switchgear, motor control centers, and bus bar connections can all be inspected for
anomalies. Thermographers can easily survey electrical generation and distribution
facilities, all types of transmission lines, pole mounted transformers, large substation
transformers, knife disconnect switches, and any other electrical connection. An infrared
camera can reveal loose/dirty connections, unbalanced loads/phase problems, overloaded
circuits, and even non-electrical problems like oil level in oil filled transformers. The value of
infrared inspections of electrical systems has been repeatedly proven.
Some More Applications
http://www.flirthermography.com/media/2005-033%20VanBree.pdf
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