Thermal Imaging cameras - some of you may know what they are, but many have never heard of them.
So what are they and what can they do? Here’s the technical stuff.
Thermal Imaging cameras see light that is in the heat spectrum, but invisible to the naked eye. They can record the temperature variations in most objects. In buildings they can detect the temperature differences on just about any surface. We can literally ‘see’ where there is insufficient insulation, or no insulation, air leaks in the walls, joints, etc. We can detect hidden moisture before it creates a catastrophic situation. You may have a roof or window leak that is presently small enough to not notice. Left over time, it can damage framing members or worse yet feed mold spores that will make indoor air quality unlivable. We can do so much with these cameras it will amaze you. Did you know that most Fire Companies utilize a thermal imaging camera? They can find someone in a structure that they would previously not notice.
Some of the things we can do with a thermal imaging camera include:
· Find missing insulation
· Find moisture problems
· Find heat loss
· Insufficient insulation
· Door problems
Other items:
· Electrical issues
· Leaks in radiant floors
· Broken pipes in concrete
· Electrical motor issues before they fail
· Many, many more
Here at AMS, we utilize thermal imaging to assist you in making your building more efficient. Here’s a quote from the US Dept. of Energy:
A thermographic inspection is either an interior or exterior survey. The energy auditor decides which method would give the best results under certain weather conditions. Interior scans are more common, because warm air escaping from a building does not always move through the walls in a straight line. Heat loss detected in one area of the outside wall might originate at some other location on the inside of the wall. Also, it is harder to detect temperature differences on the outside surface of the building during windy weather. Because of this difficulty, interior surveys are generally more accurate because they benefit from reduced air movement.
Thermographic scans are also commonly used with a blower door test running. The blower door helps exaggerate air leaking through defects in the building shell. Such air leaks appear as black streaks in the infrared camera's viewfinder.
Thermography uses specially designed infrared video or still cameras to make images (called thermograms) that show surface heat variations. This technology has a number of applications. Thermograms of electrical systems can detect abnormally hot electrical connections or components. Thermograms of mechanical systems can detect the heat created by excessive friction. Energy auditors use thermography as a tool to help detect heat losses and air leakage in building envelopes.
Infrared scanning allows energy auditors to check the effectiveness of insulation in a building's construction. The resulting thermograms help auditors determine whether a building needs insulation and where in the building it should go. Because wet insulation conducts heat faster than dry insulation, thermographic scans of roofs can often detect roof leaks.
In addition to using thermography during an energy audit, you should have a scan done before purchasing a house; even new houses can have defects in their thermal envelopes. You may wish to include a clause in the contract requiring a thermographic scan of the house. A thermographic scan performed by a certified technician is usually accurate enough to use as documentation in court proceedings.
Let us know how we can help you with thermal imaging.
