WHY INFRARED TESTING?
By detecting problems before they occur and by pin-pointing exactly where problems might exist, Infrared Thermographic Testing has many benefits.
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Answers to FAQs
Learn more about our wide range of non-invasive, non-destructive inspection & testing services and if they are right for your needs.
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WHY CHOOSE ICS?
Founded in 1988, Infrared Consulting Services (ICS) provides professional infrared electrical, NDT and building envelope inspection services nationwide.
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Covers and Panels: Should They Really Be Taken Off?
/in Electrical thermography, Thermographic imaging /by I R TestOne of the main challenges thermographers face during infrared electrical inspection procedures is having to remove protective covers and panels housing the equipment. While these panels are necessary from a work safety perspective, they can cause problems during a thermography inspection.
Infrared technology works more effectively when there is a clear line of sight to the equipment. When thermographers have to take the time to remove panels and covers, it takes them longer to complete the inspection, which costs businesses more money. But how necessary is it really to remove the panels? Read on to find out the importance.
Find The Source of the Problem
Thermographers can get decent images when they bypass the process of removing covers and panels. Essentially, they can see if there is a potential issue or temperature difference, but it’s virtually impossible to determine the source of the issue. Once the panel is removed for the thermographic imaging equipment, you will get a clearer picture of the underlying issue. This allows for more targeted repairs at the actual source of the problem rather than guessing at what may be causing the issue.
Cost Savings of Keeping Covers and Panels On
The longer an infrared electrical inspection takes, the more money a business will have to spend on the survey. This is one of the reasons why companies tell the thermographers to leave the covers and panels on and do the best job they can in order to save money. While this is a good short-term money-saving technique, it can obviously lead to much larger issues in the long-term.
Since thermographic imaging technology has to be clear of obstructions to be completely effective, thermographers can’t do their jobs to the best of their ability when they are limited. When companies choose to take shortcuts by not removing covers and panels, they are actually putting the business at greater risk of electrical fires and equipment malfunctions later on.
Precision and Accuracy is Critical With IR Testing
Every thermographic image taken by a thermographer tells a story about a particular piece of equipment. Without a clear view of the equipment, thermographers have to guess at what is happening in a certain situation. The main solution is to remove the covers and panels to ensure there are no obstructions so clear thermal imaging can be taken.
Another alternative businesses are choosing is to install infrared windows. These windows allow thermographers to do the most effective job without having to take the time to remove panels and covers. Companies will have to spend some money upfront to install the infrared windows, but the windows will pay for themselves over time after several inspections take place.
Infrared Consulting Services knows exactly how to be most efficient and effective when it comes to a thermography inspection. To learn more about how infrared technology works, or to book your inspection appointment, be sure to contact us.
Could You Be Facing One of These Common Insulation Problems?
/in Infrared inspection services /by I R TestInsulation in a commercial building can sometimes be hit-or-miss. It is typically one of the last things on the list to get replaced if a building is older. However, newer buildings could have much better insulation, depending on when it was built.
There are many insulation problems businesses could have and not even know it. Since you generally don’t see your insulation on a daily basis, a thermography inspection may be required to see exactly how it’s holding up. You may not even know you’re facing one of these common insulation problems.
Aged Insulation
If a property was built more than a decade ago, chances are the insulation isn’t as effective as it could be. Of course, it may not necessarily be bad enough where the cost of replacing it is justified. When you use an IR thermography expert to analyze your insulation, they will be able to tell where the weak spots are and provide an estimate on how much longer it will be effective.
Too Much Insulation
When you have too much insulation, you could be causing some serious health issues for people in your building. Multiple layers of insulation could restrict airflow. Furthermore, if you have any sort of leak in your floors, walls or roof, moisture could pose a problem since it has nowhere to go. Mold and mildew can grow in the insulation and eventually become airborne as well. One of the main benefits of infrared inspection is to detect those holes to keep moisture out as much as possible.
Not Enough Insulation
Not having enough insulation won’t necessarily pose a health risk, but it can hurt the pocketbook. The main downfall of not having enough insulation is energy leaving the building. Your hot air won’t stay inside during the winter and your cool air won’t stay inside during the summer. This causes your HVAC unit to work overtime, which will result in higher energy bills.
Damaged Insulation
Insulation can be damaged by a variety of elements, including rodents and water. Animals try to find a warm place in the winter, so the first place they will look is in and around buildings. If they find an opening, they could damage your insulation quickly by making their nest in it.
A roof leak is also a main cause of damaged insulation. If you haven’t gotten a thermography inspection on your roof in a while, now is the time to do it. Once water gets into your insulation, it needs to be replaced as soon as possible.
Contaminated Insulation
Animals are generally the culprits when it comes to contaminated insulation. Their urine and droppings can create some bad smells in the house and can reduce the effectiveness of the insulation drastically.
Infrared Consulting Services is here to help provide IR thermography inspections for commercial buildings. To learn more about the benefits of infrared inspection, or to set up an appointment, be sure to contact us.
Five Reasons You Should Get Your Roof Inspected… Before It’s Too Late!
/in Infrared inspection services /by I R TestA leaky roof can cause some serious damage to a building. Not only will the building be affected, but businesses sometimes have to shut down temporarily if the leaking is bad enough. The bad thing is once you notice a leaking roof, it’s too little too late. It usually takes a long time for roof moisture to become visible to the naked eye, which is why a frequent commercial roof inspection is critical. Not convinced? Here are several things that could happen if you don’t get your roof inspected often enough.
1. Mold and Mildew Health Concerns
When you have roof moisture, mold and mildew will begin to grow. As the temperature heats up and cools down, it will only continue to grow and become more harmful. The worst possible scenario is the mold moving toward air ducts where everyone will be breathing it in. Infrared roof inspections can detect areas where mold and mildew are susceptible to growing. This way you can fix the issue before the growth occurs.
2. Wasted Energy
If your roof is leaking, chances are there are holes in the insulation, drywall and everywhere in between. This gives your interior hot or cool air the chance to escape, leading to higher energy bills. An infrared thermography inspection can see weak spots in a roof where air could be leaking out.
3. Fire Hazards
Everyone knows electricity and water don’t mix. If nothing else, a commercial roof inspection needs to be done often enough so you can rest easy knowing water won’t be entering your building and dripping on electrical equipment.
4. Interior Damage Potential
Even the smallest leak in your roof could cause some serious damage. You could experience ceiling tiles or drywall peeling off and falling if a water leak doesn’t get fixed soon enough. Not only will you be putting your inventory at risk, but you’ll also be putting your employees and potential customers in danger as well. You can avoid all this possible damage by simply scheduling a commercial roof inspection on a regular basis.
5. Roof Deterioration
From a cost perspective, there’s nothing that can hurt a business’ finances than having to replace a roof unexpectedly. Roofs aren’t going to last forever, but with a regular infrared thermography inspection, you can extend its lifespan. Standing water is the biggest reason why a roof fails, but there are plenty of other reasons as well.
At Infrared Consulting Services, we have over 30 years of experience providing commercial customers with the highest quality roof inspections. You never know when disaster can strike your business, but we are here to help make it a little more predictable. Don’t wait to get your roof inspected. Be sure to contact us today.
What Affects Cost of an IR Low-Scope Roof Scan
/in Thermographic imaging /by I R TestThe cost of maintaining a commercial low-slope roof can be quite expensive over its lifetime. The exact cost depends on a variety of factors, including preventative maintenance practices, weather elements, and others. You can always reach out to infrared consulting services to get a better idea of the cost of getting an infrared thermography scan, but it is must cheaper than replacing the entire roof.
The worst thing any business owner can do is wait until there is a problem with the roof before addressing any issues. Getting ahead of the game by detecting issues before they become larger problems will help reduce maintenance costs on your low-slope roof in the long-term.
Early Intervention Can Reduce Maintenance Costs
You can’t intervene on commercial roof issues without the help of IR thermography, in most cases. Very rarely do people spend a significant amount of time inspecting a roof on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis. Inspecting your roof daily isn’t necessary, but having the proper equipment to identify issues is critical.
That’s why IR thermography is used. This technology can identify a potential problem before the human eye can see it. When small problems become a large problem, the cost of the maintenance will rise. Infrared technology helps reduce the overall cost of roof maintenance since the issues identified can be fixed at an earlier stage.
Neglected Issues Can Make Cost Rise
If you don’t use infrared thermography on your roof, then you could be neglecting potential problems and not even know it. You may notice the water isn’t draining very well off of the roof during a rainstorm, or you may see water stains on the ceiling inside the building. Failure to address these issues right away will only lead to higher repair costs. Sometimes the issue is an easy fix, but many times it’s just getting worse by the day. Neglecting roof issues is the number one way to make the overall cost of your roof rise.
Schedule Regular Infrared Inspections
The best way to keep a budget on your commercial roof repairs is to conduct regular and frequent IR thermography inspections. This preventative maintenance strategy will essentially pay for itself when you compare it to the potential cost of roof repairs or a replacement.
Plus, a healthy roof can help reduce energy bills since the insulation will remain intact longer. There are many benefits a business owner will gain out of having a well-maintained roof, but those benefits may be non-existent without the proper use of infrared technology.
Infrared Consulting Services has been in business since 1988 and has helped thousands of businesses save money on their commercial roofs in the process. With the best-certified thermographers in the industry, you can ensure you’ll receive quality service to extend the life of your low-slope roof. Be sure to contact us for an evaluation and to start managing the cost of your commercial roof.
Extending the Life of a Low Slope Flat Roof
/in News /by I R TestThe old phrase of being “out of sight, out of mind” is especially true when it comes to a commercial roof. Most people don’t walk on the roof of a building every day, so it can be easy to forget about. This could be problematic after years of neglect, since a roof can be extremely expensive to repair or replace at a certain point.
Extending the life of a low slope flat roof isn’t too difficult as long as you take small steps to protect it. Using IR thermography to help identify any issues is critical in preventing roof leaks and other issues is beneficial. Here are some of the best ways you can help extend the life of your low slope flat roof.
Drainage System Maintenance
Since flat roofs don’t have much of a slope for water to run off of, you have to make sure the drainage systems are properly maintained. Standing water on a roof is a recipe for disaster, as it could cause the materials to break down and cause leaks. Most of the time, you don’t even need a thermal imaging inspection to identify when a drain outlet is clogged. Just pass by them and remove any debris regularly so they work properly when needed.
Address Issues Immediately
You don’t always have to be on the roof or use infrared detection technology to detect a roof problem. If you notice water stains on the ceiling or drips coming from a place in the building where it shouldn’t be dripping, it’s a sure sign of a roof leak. Don’t just ignore these signs. Many times, the issue can be easily fixed if detected early enough.
Re-Surface an Old Roof
If you have an older roof, you could consider re-surfacing it to extend the life. Low slope flat roofs aren’t as forgiving as steep slope roofs, so they may require a new surface after 10-15 years. Applying a new surface could extend the life another 10-15 years or more and reduce the amount of maintenance on it during that time as a result. If your roof is having constant leaking issues, this is one of the best options to consider for a long-term roof life.
Conduct Regular and Frequent Inspections
Above all else, conducting a regular thermal imaging inspection is the best way to extend the life of your roof. Many times, infrared detection technology can identify an issue in a low slope flat roof before it actually becomes a visible problem. This provides business owners with a more cost-effective way to repair the roof, since there’s usually no damage done. Conducting an IR thermography inspection a few times each year will greatly extend the life of your roof.
At Infrared Consulting Services, we’ve helped many businesses extend the life of their low slope flat roof by offering the best infrared testing in the industry. If it’s been a while since you’ve evaluated your roof, or if you want to put a maintenance plan together for it, be sure to contact us at any time.