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How Can an Electrical Infrared Survey Save Money and Energy?

September 8, 2016/in Electrical thermography, Thermographic imaging /by I R Test

Businesses nowadays are looking for ways to save a dollar any chance they get. However, some companies are unwilling to spend even a little bit of money upfront to prevent a larger issue from potentially happening down the road. When it comes to electrical inspections, the expenses a business pays upfront are well worth the cost when compared to a major repair to systems and equipment. So how can you save money and energy by getting routine electrical inspections? Let’s dive into the details.

Inspections Detect Hot Spots Before They Cause Problems

With the help of electrical thermal imaging, an operator can actually see problems in equipment before they escalate. The main reason equipment fails is because there is an electrical issue, including overloaded circuits, bad fuses, loose connections or even defective breakers.

When something isn’t working properly, chances are the temperature will be higher than it would be during normal operation. That’s when the thermographic imaging equipment will detect the bad spot and prompt the operator to evaluate the problem.

Saving Money and Energy

You will pay a little bit to get preventive maintenance inspections, but think about how much you’re saving in the long run. If you have faulty equipment running at a higher temperature than it should, it’s using a lot more energy to operate normally. As a result, you will be spending more money in energy costs, which can quickly add up.

Also, if you don’t have routine maintenance done by way of an electrical infrared survey, you are putting your company at risk of paying a significant amount of money to replace a completely defective piece of equipment. When you’re talking about systems that make your company operate smoothly, you may end up losing more than money, depending on the severity of the issue.

Are Electrical Inspections Worth It?

If you’re interested in making sure the normal day-to-day business operations run without a hitch, it’s worth it to complete an electrical infrared survey periodically. You would likely only need to have the inspection completed two or three times each year, but the long-term benefits speak for themselves.

Contact us with any questions you may have about the thermographic imaging process and how we can help keep your business functioning in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible!

How Infrared Thermography Can Find Your Hidden Roof Moisture

One of the scary things about owning a business is not knowing what’s going on without your knowledge or control. You generally know how your employees are performing, but what you may not realize is your building is slowly deteriorating. Roof moisture is the cause of some costly maintenance fees, which can do some serious damage to your bottom line. The bad part about it is you can’t always detect roof moisture on your own. Hiring a certified thermographer is one of the best ways to prevent a larger issue from happening with your roof. Here is how it works.

Professionals Know Where to Look

With the help of infrared thermography and experience, professionals know exactly where to look to find moisture. There are many types of roofs, and moisture doesn’t get trapped in the same places in all of them. When you have an infrared roof moisture survey conducted, the operator will identify the problem areas using their expertise and the technology available to them.

Distinguishes Wet Spots from Dry Spots

The process of radiational cooling occurs when the sun radiates heat onto the roof during the day and the heat goes back into the atmosphere at night. This process is important for infrared detection technology because wet spots in the roof containing moisture will remain warmer much longer than dry spots.

The infrared thermography equipment detects the heat distribution on the roof of your building and can determine if a particular location is warmer than the others. Warmer spots are clear indicators of moisture. Once the complete analysis is done on your roof, the expert will recommend whether they think it’s time to take action to correct the problem now or if it can wait until another time. However, when you’re dealing with moisture where it’s not supposed to be, it’s usually better to take action immediately.

Finding hidden roof moisture requires an experienced professional to conduct an infrared inspection. Business owners are often surprised their building has hidden moisture since there usually aren’t any visible signs. The importance of catching the problems early can’t be understated.

For more information on the process of finding hidden roof moisture in your building, contact us. We have a staff of professionals ready to answer any questions you have and to provide you with the preventive maintenance service you need to keep your business flourishing without unnecessary repair costs.

What Happens During an Infrared Roof Moisture Survey?

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

If you’re thinking about scheduling an infrared roof moisture survey for your company’s building, you’re making a good decision. A moisture inspection is considered preventive maintenance because it can point out potential problems before a major issue arises. Many business owners overlook the importance of preventive maintenance, but a moisture inspection is definitely not something to take lightly. You may be wondering exactly how the process works and what benefits you get from it. We’ve outlined the process so you’ll be confident when the work is being done.

The Process

An infrared roof moisture survey uses a diagnostic test tool to locate visible heat, which comes from moisture potentially leaking under the roof of your building. During the daytime, the heat from the sun warms the roof. At night, the heat radiates back into the atmosphere. If an area of your building’s roof is wet, it will have a higher mass and, as a result, will retain the heat for a longer duration.

Certified thermographers use their instruments to detect the differences in those dry and wet spots. When they come across wet spots, they can identify them as problem areas to be addressed sooner rather than later.

Recommended Corrective Actions

It’s better to do a roof-wide survey to identify potential problems rather than do a roof-wide repair when the problem has become too big to be corrected in individual spots. A team of certified thermographers will provide your company with results of the infrared moisture scan and recommend actions to be taken. You may only have some surface moisture, but you could also have moisture trapped deep in the roofing system to cause larger issues.

If you’ve waited too long to have a survey completed, you may not be happy with the recommendation you receive. However, if you schedule a survey periodically, chances are you’ll only have to do minor repairs on different parts of the roof.

When you’re looking for infrared inspection services for your business, contact us for more information. We can provide you with more in-depth information about your specific roof type and what we typically find when we perform roof moisture inspections. Once you understand the long-term benefits of scheduling a survey, you’ll quickly realize it’s worth the upfront cost to do it routinely.

How to Spot Air Leaks – And What to Do About It

August 30, 2016/in Thermographic imaging /by I R Test

Every business owner knows the importance of preventing problems before they have the chance to escalate so why do certain potential problems slip our minds? Take your commercial facility’s ventilation systems, for instance. People rarely notice the signs of energy leaks until they receive their utility bills for the month. Yet, even after this shock to the wallet, most people fail to recognize just what is causing this spike in energy prices for their facility.

Eventually, they may seek thermography inspection services but not before the problem becomes unmanageable. Here is how you can effectively identify signs of air leaks within your facility and take full advantage of an infrared inspection before your problem gets worse.

Look for Cracks

While these methods are not fool-proof, they may prove to be a great place to start in terms of locating air leaks. One method involves slipping a small piece of paper or a dollar bill into one of the spaces in your facility, such as a window or door. You’ll know you have a leak if the dollar can be easily removed through the spaces. Additionally, you can have a helper stand outside the facility while you point a light at any spot you suspect could contain a crack. If any large crack exists in the structure, you have a definite leak on your hands and should contact a thermographic scanning professional.

Perform a Pressurization Test

If neither of the above-mentioned methods help you uncover any leakage issues, you can always turn to a pressurization test. To do this, wait until a particularly blustery day to switch your exhaust fans and/or furnaces off. Afterward, close any venting spaces that lead to the outside. You can then walk around your facility and test the areas you suspect of leakage with your hand or a lighter to see if there are any signs of wind leaking from the outside.

Examine Your Facility

You will most likely find leaks around doors or windows. This proves especially true if your facility is an older building. Check them out by grabbing them firmly and moving them side-to-side. If you find they creak or wiggle, you can safely suspect a leak is present.

Additionally, you can check other ventilation and circulation systems around your facility just as easily. If you see any loose areas around your foundation or pipes, it’s highly likely you have a leak on your hands.

There are a few other areas you can and should check as well:

exterior of your chimney
outdoor plumbing
corners of the facility’s exterior

If none of these tests are successful, another easy method of detecting leaks is IR thermography. In fact, thermographic scanning is the most effective means of detecting leaks and other problems due to their highly accurate but non-intrusive nature. Contact us today to learn how you can use IR thermography to help your facility save money and be more energy efficient!

Five Least-Expected Places for Air Leaks to Occur

August 25, 2016/in Infrared inspection services, Thermographic imaging /by I R Test

Air leaks are a common problem, but few people investigate them before it’s too late. This shouldn’t be the case for anyone, especially if they’re involved in a commercial facility where efficiency is key. Thermal imaging services, as well as your own vigilance, can easily help tackle this problem. The first element of prevention is knowing where to look! Here are five rarely suspected problem spots you may want to watch out for in your facility.

1. Basements

If your facility has a basement, this may be a good place to check. This is one of the most likely areas of a building to lack proper insulation, which quickly leads to circulation issues. You should know the amount of insulation and similar properties within your facility’s basement. If it isn’t at the proper level, you should anticipate some form of leaking and invest in taking care of the insulation as soon as possible. If you aren’t sure how to check for leaks, a thermal imagining inspection is a great way to ensure your basement is air tight.

2. Ventilation

Proper air vents and other similar mechanisms are highly important to the maintenance of a commercial facility. Temperatures can easily skyrocket in these structures, making it vital to have decent circulation. You’ll want to run maintenance on your ventilation occasionally to make sure they’re functioning properly. Thermal imaging services can help you detect improper ventilation in your structure. Malfunctioning vents are a surefire sign of unwanted leakage. The best ventilation systems typically have covers with magnetic and detachable properties, as well as insulation padding.

3. Air Ducts

Air ducts are just as likely as vents to have some sort of leak slipping through them. Be sure to check these at the same time you check your vents, especially if your facility relies on air conditioning for daily productivity. You don’t want the comfortable and cool air to slip right out where it shouldn’t be. Luckily, with the help of a thermal imaging inspection, you can easily find out where the problem areas are!

4. Overhead Lights

People rarely suspect their overhead lighting of being leaky and inefficient. In fact, as long as the lights are functioning, we assume they’re working at 100 percent! This actually may not be the case. Certain types of overhead lights, such as recessed lighting, rely on insulation to remain functional and safe. Be sure to check whether your ceiling lights need this type of preparation and whether it is in place. If not, know this poses a risk to your facility and employees and should be addressed soon.

5. Electrical Sockets

This is yet another quite common, but typically unheeded, source of energy leaks. It’s also the hardest to detect. To pick up on the efficiency of your commercial facility’s electrical sockets, you need to rely on a thermal imaging survey to read the output of your sockets and determine whether they’re at a normal rate. Without it, you could be negatively impacting the performance of your equipment and reducing productivity.

While these aren’t the only areas of your facility susceptible to leaks, they are the most common ones that should be inspected. Contact us to learn about other preventive measures and how our thermal imaging services can help!