Tag Archive for: certified thermographers

You are here: / certified thermographers

Posts

Infrared Consulting Services infrared problem prevention

The Short- and Long-Term Benefits of Regular Infrared Testing

in

Businesses today don’t have the time or money to deal with unexpected issues. Some issues may only slow down production for a few minutes or hours, but other larger-scale issues could force production to shut down for days. If nothing else, the benefits of infrared inspection are to help business owners see a potential problem before it becomes a large-scale issue. Certified thermographers can detect issues in electrical equipment, HVAC units, production machinery, building envelopes and roofs. By conducting regular infrared problem prevention testing, business owners will appreciate both short-term and long-term benefits.

Short-Term Benefits of Infrared Testing

Hiring certified thermographers to inspect your building and the equipment can cost some money upfront , but it’s much cheaper than having to replace a component. Even in the worst-case scenario, it’s much cheaper than potentially having to halt production completely for any amount of time. Here are some of the short-term benefits of infrared testing:

  • Due diligence on new properties. Purchasing a new property can be stressful, since you never really know how good of shape the building is in. One of the benefits of infrared inspection is you’ll be able to see what areas need attention before you make the purchase. This could include mold issues in the roof or other potentially problematic structural issues with the building.

  • Targeted Repairs. Infrared inspections can identify exactly where the root of a problem is. If there’s some moisture getting through a spot on the roof, certified thermographers will be able to see exactly how large the affected area is so the repairs can be limited to that area.

  • Find the source of leaks. The human eye can only see so much. If you notice water dripping from the ceiling, you know the roof is leaking, but you can’t immediately see why or where the source of the leak is. Infrared testing can lead you to the source of any leak so it can be fixed permanently.

Long-Term Benefits of Infrared Testing

Most business owners really appreciate the long-term benefits of infrared inspection. Some of those benefits include:

  • Lower Energy Bills. When your equipment is running efficiently, or if you don’t have a leaky roof allowing air to escape, you’ll be saving a lot of money on energy bills. Regular infrared testing can ensure this is always the case.

  • Reduce unexpected repairs. You don’t have to expect the unexpected when you have regular infrared inspections completed. You’ll be able to identify even the smallest issues early enough where you can get them fixed before a big repair is necessary.

  • Avoid major issues. Whether it’s a mechanical failure in a production machine or a building roof failure, these issues can be devastating to a business. Infrared testing is worth the price to pay to avoid these major issues, which could put a serious burden on a business.

Infrared Consulting Services has been in business since 1988 to help business owners eliminate major issues with their equipment or property. To learn more about the benefits of infrared inspection, or to set up an appointment, be sure to contact us.

Infrared Consulting Services benefits of Infrared Inspection

How Infrared Thermography Can Keep Your Facility Cool This Summer

in ,

The summer months are upon us, meaning temperatures are going to be on the rise and HVAC units will be working overtime. Facilities struggle with high energy bills every summer because the AC unit is seemingly operating non-stop. What many business owners don’t realize is they are wasting a lot of energy due to air leaks, poor insulation and other issues. These cause HVAC units to work harder than they have to, which drives up energy bills.

Certified thermographers can help facilities stay cool all summer long and also potentially reduce the cost of energy bills. By identifying holes and leaks in your facility with infrared technology, you’ll be able to enjoy the coolness of being indoors without breaking the bank. Here are some reasons why infrared problem prevention is the way to go.

Identify Air Leaks

One of the main benefits of infrared inspection is identifying air leaks. These leaks could be coming from the roof, walls, ceiling, windows, doors, insulation or anywhere else. Regular building maintenance checks sometimes won’t be able to detect these leaks because they are so small and are in areas where the naked eye can’t see.

When you hire certified thermographers, they will be able to detect temperature differences on all of the potential problem areas. You may be surprised at how much air is leaking out of your facility on a regular basis. Once these air leaks are identified, you can take the necessary steps to plug them up so all of your cool air will remain inside.

Keep HVAC Units Operating Efficiently

HVAC units will work hard during the summer months whether you have air leaks in your building or not. The harder the units work, the more potential issues they will have due to faulty or worn out components. It’s important to do an infrared problem prevention check on your HVAC system frequently, and especially throughout the summer. Working hard and working efficiently are two different things, and you’ll definitely notice the difference on your energy bill when your unit is working efficiently.

Check Voids in Insulation

One of the most difficult things to see is whether the insulation in your facility has any damage. Moisture could have intruded through the walls or roof and damaged the insulation, making it essentially ineffective in some areas. These are the types of issues certified thermographers look for when they conduct an infrared inspection. Faulty insulation leads to indoor air escaping and making the building hotter during the summer. The trickle down effect of poor insulation could lead to big energy bills and equipment replacement costs later on.

At Infrared Consulting Services, we know businesses operate better when working under ideal controlled conditions, so we want to help. Be sure to contact us to see how our certified thermographers can help keep your facility cool all summer long.

infrared testing

Can Infrared Testing Reveal as Much as Cutting into a Pipe?

in

When you can see condensation or feel heat on a pipe, you know something may be wrong inside of it. Cutting into that pipe to discover a potential problem, though, is a serious and costly step. Infrared testing may be a better choice.

Even where no obvious signs of temperature disturbances are visible, problems may still exist under the surface. In situations like this, IR cameras and trained thermographers are invaluable. All objects radiate IR energy, which an IR camera can “see.” The thermographer reads the thermal radiation patterns to determine the condition of a pipe or other material vital to your business.

Doing this right takes a highly-trained thermographer because of thermal reflectivity. Some of the radiation being emitted from the pipe or other components won’t have anything to do with true surface temperature. Thermographers go through extensive training to learn how to identify, understand, evaluate and control this reflective energy. Thermography also requires deep knowledge of physics and environmental factors that influence surface temperatures.

Thermography has two big advantages or other NDT (nondestructive testing) tech:

  •      Speed – thermography is almost instantaneous
  •      In-situ inspection – large areas or a vast number of objects can be tested in a short period of time

Other advantages include:

  •      Environmentally friendly
  •      No destruction of what’s being examined
  •      Major savings in employee compensation, downtime and machinery costs
  •      Can be done day or night

Contact at (888) 925-4404 or via our online form to talk about inspecting your pipes – and saving you money.

thermography inspection

IR Testing Finds What a General Shutdown Can’t

in

When it comes to regular maintenance for your commercial building, sometimes human senses simply can’t detect every issue. The benefits of infrared inspection include seeing leaks not visible to the human eye and detecting potential problems without having to shut down the entire building.

Companies are beginning to see the value of getting a thermography inspection regularly, and here’s why.

Advantages of IR Testing

Companies who conduct regular thermal imaging electrical inspections will experience fewer shutdowns. This is because the technology can see much more than even the best structural engineer. At the same time, these inspections help a business reduce costs on labor, wear on machinery and time invested in diagnosing repairs.

Plus, one of the best benefits of infrared inspection is you can keep business running as usual during testing. Depending on the layout of your building, the infrared survey could be completed after hours, but most of the time it isn’t even necessary.

IR Testing is for Any Part of the Commercial Building

From the HVAC system to the roof to the building envelope, infrared testing can get the job done. Most companies start with an infrared roof moisture survey, since the roof is one of the most vulnerable parts of a building when it comes to leaking. However, getting a complete infrared thermography inspection completed frequently will help ensure every part of the building will stay in good shape for years to come.

Improved Preventative Maintenance

IR testing not only shows what is completely faulty, but also what components are weakening due to age. This is especially important for electrical thermography, since you can see if a plug or wire is showing signs of being faulty before it actually stops working or causes other problems.

Many times, preventative maintenance can only do so much, since people can’t look at every little detail of the entire building. By doing a professional infrared thermography inspection, potential problems will be identified so employees can target those areas as part of their regular maintenance schedule.

Decrease Downtime and Avoid a Costly Shutdown

Above all else, companies schedule IR testing to reduce downtime and prevent costly shutdowns. If a machine breaks to the point where it can’t be used for an extended period of time, then significant costs could be accrued in the form of replacing the machine and lost time for employees.

When comparing the cost of an infrared thermography inspection to the cost of a potential shutdown, the comparison is one-sided. Not only does IR testing find things a general shutdown can’t, it will find potential problems more quickly before they become major issues.

As more companies turn toward conducting infrared testing, be sure to contact us for questions or to schedule an appointment and avoid having to shut down your business for even a day.

Identify gas leaks with infrared thermography.

Infrared Thermography Can Even Detect Gas Leaks

in ,

When companies think of infrared thermography, they generally think about moisture detection. However, with today’s technology, specialists can also detect gas leaks. This is a huge deal in terms of safety, cost savings and overall productivity in the workplace. Gas leaks can be dangerous in any industry, but especially so if you’re a part of the oil and gas industry. We’ve seen plants explode before as a result of a gas leak so it’s better to be safe than sorry when dealing with such a dangerous chemical.

Cost Saving Benefits of Gas Leak Detection

Not only will hiring infrared problem prevention experts keep you and your employees safe, but it will also help your bottom line. Any time gas is leaking out of a chamber, dollars might as well be pouring out instead. Infrared inspections can detect even the slightest holes or cracks where gas could exit. As a result, you know exactly where to focus your maintenance efforts to help save on the costs of wasted gas.

Productivity and Maintenance Prevention

When certified thermographers come out to your work site to inspect the property frequently, you’ll be able to boost the productivity of your workers since they won’t have to inspect the equipment themselves. It’s impossible for your employees to record every minor detail with your equipment so infrared cameras can record and compare the changes over time. Most employers agree doing a full in-depth infrared inspection for gas leaks is better than having employees spot-check equipment occasionally.

Health Advantages

Any time you can reduce the amount of natural gas emitting into the air, you’re helping out the environment. Companies don’t want the negative attention of being known for creating an unhealthy environment because of poor maintenance practices so infrared thermography is the way to go from that aspect. Also, frequent infrared inspections help prevent explosions caused by gas leaks, which we all know can be devastating for the company and surrounding patrons.

Gas leaks may not seem like a big deal on a small scale, but you never want to ignore them. Your employees likely don’t have the time or the equipment to properly detect and fix a gas leak. Hiring certified thermographers is the best and safest route to take. Contact us if you have any questions or if you’d like us to come out for an inspection.

Detect issues early with an infrared roof moisture survey.

What Happens During an Infrared Roof Moisture Survey?

in ,

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.

Three Little-Known Ways Roof Moisture Can Damage Your Facility

in

Anyone who has ever owned or managed a building of any variety knows the damage risks a leaking roof can cause. The roof itself can easily suffer structural damage thanks to the extra moisture seeping in and eating away at it. However, there are many other issues a leaking roof can cause, far beyond the structure of just the roof. Here are a few of the other problems roof moisture can cause, which could convince you to look into commissioning infrared thermography as soon as possible.

1. Energy Leaks

This may sound like a bit of a head-scratcher, but think about what your roof is used for. It’s a means of keeping the interior of a building intact and the elements out, just like the walls and floor. To serve this purpose well, roofs are typically packed tightly with insulation to keep warmth, coolness and energy in and unwanted air and moisture out. If your roof is leaking, this leaves not just the roof itself vulnerable, but the insulation inside it as well.

Insulation isn’t made to handle moisture particularly well and too much leaves it soggy and unable to perform effectively. Drying the insulation is a time-consuming process, meaning if a leak should happen, you may as well invest in brand new insulation to protect your facility. Without a proper replacement, your energy use will increase dramatically.

2. Mold

Mold is the most common consequence of lingering moisture. You may have encountered it before in domestic situations, but it is just as likely in your commercial facility and perhaps even more hazardous if left to grow. The presence of mold lowers working conditions in your facility and can create certain health risks for your employees, especially those already prone to asthma and other respiratory issues. Even those without any documented illnesses should steer clear of mold because it can easily create breathing problems.

What we must point out here is if mold develops in your roof due to excess moisture, it can easily spread to the rest of your facility, such as the ceiling, the vents and anywhere else imaginable. You absolutely do not want to deal with eliminating mold if you can prevent it because the elimination measures can cost you days of valuable productivity. Most certified thermographers can pick up signs of moisture before the problem escalates to this point.

3. Pooling

If the moisture in your roof begins to accumulate, it can easily trickle down to your ceiling and drip from there, ending up as an ugly puddle on your facility’s floor. This is yet another safety hazard that can spell huge consequences. If a worker were to slip and fall in one of these puddles, you lose productivity, money and perhaps even a valuable employee. At best, they’ll be wet and a bit sore. At worst, they could suffer a serious injury and decide to pursue a lawsuit.

As with all other situations in life, it’s far better to be safe than sorry. We hope this article will enlighten you to the benefits of infrared inspection and how they can save your commercial facility in more ways than one. Contact us to learn how infrared thermography can help you!

Keep your processes running smoothly with infrared problem prevention.

Infrared Problem Prevention Keeps You Safe

in

If your company’s line of work involves the production of tangible products, we at Infrared Consulting Services know how important it is that every component of your production facilities runs as smoothly as possible. If the slightest malfunction occurs, you risk the possibility of your entire timetable going off-kilter. One valuable form of prevention against time-killing equipment failures is infrared thermography. You can use infrared thermography at your production headquarters to check for signs of wear and hazards in the machinery and other materials you use on a daily basis. Infrared problem prevention services are not only efficient for spotting potential malfunctions, but they are the safest means of doing so for your equipment.

Get testing from certified thermographers.

Certified thermographers will conduct testing.

How Does Infrared Thermography Work?

Infrared thermography is best defined as a method of detecting the heat (or thermal energy) given off by something or someone. Humans cannot detect thermal energy with the naked eye and have to use special equipment to pick it up. Areas at risk of breakdown typically give off higher than average levels of heat, making infrared thermography the best way to detect any problems arising in your production machinery systems. This method of troubleshooting first arose during the 1970s and has proved useful ever since. Engineers now rely upon electrical infrared surveys to look for issues in their equipment before they can occur and cause harm to production.

These surveys are first performed at the production site, usually far away enough from the equipment under inspection to ensure personal safety, while the production plant itself is fully operational and equipment is working at full capacity.

Certified thermographers can then go on to incorporate the survey readings into a maintenance report, which will be delivered by email. Your report will list the source and solution of any problems detected, the placement and name of the equipment evaluated, a depiction of the reading with a colored chart, information on the boost in temperature and the extent of the malfunction, and details on what part of the equipment is faulty.

Why Should I Choose Infrared Thermography for My Plant?

Evidence suggests infrared problem prevention is safe for your equipment, highly cost-effective, quick and efficient. With an infrared reading, you can save thousands of dollars in lost production and damage to equipment.

Readings can be performed without interruption of regular production procedures and during your normal working hours, allowing you to continue production during the process. An infrared survey can inspect thousands of termination points in one day, making the process much faster than traditional inspections. This means you’ll see results quicker.

Should you decide to utilize infrared thermography for your industrial plant, Infrared Consulting Services hires only the best certified thermographers to perform this service. If you have questions or are interested in our services, feel free to contact us by email or by phone.