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Where Are Energy Leaks Most Often Found in Commercial Buildings?

December 22, 2016/in Thermographic imaging /by I R Test

Energy leaks are common in commercial buildings. The bad thing is most business owners don’t even know they are wasting energy and money with each passing day. What business owner or maintenance professional has the time to survey the entire building for energy leaks? Luckily, these leaks tend to collect in a few common areas. It can be difficult to detect these leaks without the help of thermographic imaging so here are the most common places to find them.

HVAC System

You may have the top-of-the-line HVAC system in your commercial building, but without frequent electrical testing and inspection, you could still be wasting energy. HVAC systems with poorly sealed ducts most commonly create energy leaks. However, you also need to frequently check your electrical connections since a corroded or loose connection could cause the system to overheat and use more energy than necessary.

Electrical Systems

Transformers and control circuits are the two main culprits of energy waste when it comes to electrical systems. Most people don’t think electrical systems can waste energy so they don’t check them. However, with the help of thermal imaging services, you can detect any sort of energy leak coming from an electrical system and prevent it from occurring in the future.

Building Envelope

The building envelope is the entire building structure, including the roof, the walls, doors, windows, penetrations and anything else. It’s nearly impossible to have a perfect building envelope so that’s why thermographic imaging is important to detect places where energy could be leaking. Any part of the building envelope is prone to leaking, but frequent maintenance could significantly reduce the amount of energy loss.

Generators and Motors

Electrical motors always waste energy. They frequently malfunction and overheat so monitoring and testing them is critical to reducing energy waste. Be sure to check all of the bearings, electrical connections, airflow and other components to ensure the energy leaks are as minimal as possible.

Energy leaks can come from almost anywhere in a commercial building. No one has the time to check these components on a daily basis as required so contact us at Infrared Consulting Services. Together, we can schedule a thermographic imaging test to help reduce the amount of energy leaks at your business.

What Causes Flat Roofs to Leak?

Just because a roof is flat doesn’t mean it will never leak. In fact, a flat roof will leak just as much as any other roof since the determining factors are mostly the same. Small leaks can cause big problems in the short-term and long-term for many businesses. That’s why most business owners pay for infrared testing to avoid costly shutdowns. Infrared technology can confirm where leaks happen. Here are a few causes you need to be aware of.

Poor Drainage

Flat roofs require some type of drainage system in place. Water sitting on a roof for an extended amount of time can do some major damage to the roof’s structure. Eventually, the pressure from the water could cause the roof to structurally fail, or at the least, start leaking. By conducting a simple infrared roof moisture survey, you can see where your roof is vulnerable and take action to fix it.

Harsh Environments

If your business is located in an area with harsh weather, you need to take proactive steps to ensure your roof is protected. Even something as simple as high winds could cause your roof to start leaking. However, an infrared roof moisture survey can display weak spots in your roof. These weak spots could become faulty during harsh weather so you can then take steps to have those spots repaired.

Faulty Seals Around Roof Penetrations

Air vents and other penetrations may come through a flat roof for ventilation. Sometimes the seals around those penetrations need to be repaired or replaced. The worst thing that can happen is having moisture leak through those areas since electrical equipment could be nearby. In this case, you definitely don’t want to experience what happens with an electric systems failure.

Age of the Roof

An aged flat roof can easily leak, thanks to time, the sun and other elements beating down on its surface. That’s why it’s important to conduct infrared testing to avoid costly shutdowns. By performing these tests and routine maintenance, business owners will be able to determine when it’s time to repair or replace a roof.

At Infrared Consulting Services, we’ve seen it all when it comes to roof leaks. If you think you have a roof leak or just want to have an infrared thermography test conducted, contact us.

What Is Water Intrusion and Why Is It a Problem?

December 8, 2016/in Thermographic imaging /by I R Test

Water intrusion is a problem for any building or structure. It could be the result of holes, damaged walls, poor building design or even leaky water pipes. The main problem with water intrusion is it’s not easy to detect with the naked eye until it escalates. When moisture and water get behind walls and inside the building envelope, you could be looking at a lot of money in damages and repairs. With the help of IR thermography, you can prevent major damages by getting ahead of the problem and identifying the water intrusion before it takes over.

Water Intrusion in Walls and Roofs

There are many reasons water can get in walls and through roofs, but sometimes those reasons aren’t easy to identify. If water intrusion happens slowly and gradually in walls and roofs, the damage could get to the point where the entire structure has to be replaced. Mold could develop, making it a dangerous place to live or work in. However, by doing a regular thermography inspection, you can catch the problem before it gets to that point.

Preventing Mold and Other Water Damage

When water gets inside the building envelope, the moisture doesn’t have anywhere to go nor any ventilation to evaporate through. That creates an environment ideal for mold growth and can get worse the longer it’s there. Once the mold is detected, the affected building’s occupants will have to evacuate immediately, causing further problems on a much wider scale. Thermal imaging services can identify areas where moisture could be growing so you can take quick and decisive action.

Why You Should Use Infrared Technology

Sometimes it’s impossible to see a potential leak. Whether it’s in a pipe behind a wall or a pipe that’s clearly visible, any potential sources of water intrusion must be examined frequently. A routine thermography inspection can give you images of areas where moisture is present by examining temperature differences. It’s impossible to see or feel these spots without infrared equipment so having a professional run a survey periodically will help prevent major water intrusion.

Water intrusion can happen in any building, no matter how well it is maintained. As buildings get older, their materials start to wear down and slowly allow water to enter where it shouldn’t. Before you have to deal with the headache that comes with major water intrusion, give us a call to do a quick infrared survey and give you peace of mind.

What You Need to Know About Infrared Steam Trap Testing

December 1, 2016/in infrared consulting serivces, Infrared inspection services /by I R Test

Facility or plant managers always look for ways to save money and be more efficient. Faulty steam traps account for thousands of wasted dollars, which could be prevented with regular maintenance and testing. The maintenance of steam traps is often overlooked due to other priorities, but they still need attention. With the help of thermal imaging services, faulty steam traps can be identified quickly and easily to help them run more efficiently, saving you money and energy. Here are some points you need to know about infrared inspection for steam trap testing.

Temperature Measurements

Measuring the temperature in and around steam traps may not be the best test to perform since its temperature naturally varies. Still, infrared consulting services will likely do a quick temperature analysis just to determine whether there are any extremely noticeable temperature differences.

Infrared testing will measure both the outlet and inlet temperatures to see if there are any significant differences. This is an effective method for simple steam traps, but may not tell the whole story for more complex steam traps.

While infrared testing is important for finding temperature measurements, proper preventive measures should also combine other tests as well, such as sound.

Steam Traps Will Eventually Fail

Like any machinery, steam traps aren’t meant to last forever. When a steam trap begins showing signs of failure, it’s time to either repair or replace it. One of the main benefits of infrared inspection is the ability to identify an issue before it escalates and your steam trap needs replacement. A company definitely doesn’t want to risk inefficient processes because of a faulty steam trap.

When to Test Steam Traps

Since it’s difficult to detect a faulty steam trap with the naked eye, it’s recommended to frequently use thermal imaging services to get ahead of any issues. A simple infrared thermography analysis could help you estimate how much energy is being wasted on a particular steam trap so you can decide whether it’s time to repair or replace it.

With all the moving parts facilities use on a daily basis, steam trap maintenance often gets overlooked. The importance of regular infrared testing on steam traps can’t be understated, contact us to schedule an appointment today!

Four Signs You May Have Electrical Problems – and What to Do About Them

November 24, 2016/in Electrical thermography /by I R Test

Electricity is something you never want to mess with unless you’re trained and experienced. Electrical shock and fires are common in households and businesses across the United States. However, most accidents can be prevented with proper care. Sometimes the average homeowner can diagnose and fix an electrical problem, but other times you have to have specific electrical testing equipment. Here are four signs you may have electrical problems and what you need to do about them.

Electrical Outlet Isn’t Working

If a certain electrical outlet isn’t working, you can do a little electrical testing on your own to see where the problem lies. Try out some of the other outlets and see if they are working. If they are, you know the problem is confined to just that single outlet and can replace it accordingly. If multiple outlets aren’t working, you probably have a tripped breaker and need to reset it.

Sparks from Electrical Outlets

Sometimes an outlet will give off a tiny spark immediately when you plug something in. However, if you see sparks after the device has been plugged in for a few seconds, you have a problem. The outlet could be generating too much heat and melt some of the insulation protecting the wires. When the wires are exposed, the chances for an electrical fire increase. Replace the electrical outlet immediately if you start seeing sparks from it.

Breaker Keeps Tripping

Now we are getting into areas requiring more advanced knowledge and skills. If your breaker continues to trip after you reset it, there’s usually a reason behind it. Don’t continue to reset it because you could cause severe damage to your system. Instead, you may have to call on an expert to do some electrical thermography testing to determine why the breaker won’t reset. When you’re dealing with the main electrical system, you don’t want to risk electrical shock or worse.

Lights Are Too Dim, Too Bright or Flickering

Sometimes the light will dim or brighten when you plug in other appliances. That is completely normal. However, if there’s no real reason they should be dimming, brightening or flickering, you know there’s a problem with your electrical system. While this may seem like a small problem, it could require electrical testing by a professional to see where the problem lies.

Electricity is not something the average homeowner should deal with. Instead, contact us at Infrared Consulting Services for all your electrical testing needs!