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What Affects Cost of an IR Low-Scope Roof Scan

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The 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.

infrared detection technology

Importance of Evaluating Distribution Lines and Substation

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Working in a high voltage environment comes with a lot of risks. One minor mistake could lead to an employee become injured badly. Companies are beginning to realize the importance of using infrared detection technology in their overall maintenance plan. Not only will infrared surveys give employees a safer work environment, but they will also ensure systems run more efficiently.

Distribution lines and substations are important to evaluate accurately, so having an experienced infrared thermographer conduct a survey is critical. Here are some of the main benefits of infrared inspection when it comes to these components.

Reliability and Safety of Systems

With the high voltage equipment used in industrial environments, regular evaluation of different components is critical for safety and overall reliability of various systems. Whether it’s transformers, regulators, switches or any other component, infrared detection technology can help ensure they run efficiently and safely.

Like with other electrical testing, infrared thermography can identify points where temperature is hotter than in other areas. Most importantly, these surveys can identify heat where heat shouldn’t be. A rise in temperature in some of these components make them work harder, meaning they are less energy efficient and cost more money to operate. Plus, they are a potential hazard for fires or explosions if not operating efficiently.

Predictive Maintenance Can Prevent Disasters

When it comes to substations and distribution lines, predictive maintenance can prevent major disasters from occurring. Any given substation has hundreds, or even thousands, of different connections. If even one of these connections is faulty, it could lead to a broken machine, a dangerous environment or even a costly shutdown.

With the non-invasive infrared detection technology, these connections can be evaluated without having to put a halt to production. The technology used can determine faulty contacts or connections much better than the human eye, so most companies consider it a worthy investment. The best part about electrical testing with IR technology is it not only identifies current issues, but it can also predict future problems before they occur.

Avoid Costly Shutdowns

From a business standpoint, the last thing any company wants to do is shut down due to an equipment failure. With regular evaluation of distribution lines and substations, these costly shutdowns can be avoided. Some companies make the mistake of avoiding the use of infrared consulting services because of the upfront cost. However, the long-term risk is greatly reduced when you know your systems are functioning properly.

In addition to the reduced risk, the surveys essentially pay for themselves when you think of the money companies would have to pay for a replaced machine or a shutdown. A thousand dollars here and there is much better than paying hundreds of thousands of dollars later on to fix a major problem.

At Infrared Consulting Services, we have experienced infrared thermographers to conduct surveys on any of your distribution lines and substations. Be sure to contact us for an evaluation.

infrared thermography

Are Your Ovens, Kilns and Furnaces Leaking Heat?

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Heat waste is one of the biggest problems large companies face. Sometimes the leaking is so minimal it’s difficult to detect without the right equipment. Infrared thermography is essential in detecting heat loss coming from things like ovens, kilns and furnaces.This comes as a surprise to many companies, as some people think IR testing is mainly for moisture detection and electrical surveys. However, these surveys are incredibly accurate when detecting hot spots and even the tiniest leaks in equipment, potentially saving your organization tens of thousands of dollars annually.

This comes as a surprise to many companies, as some people think IR testing is mainly for moisture detection and electrical surveys. However, these surveys are incredibly accurate when detecting hot spots and even the tiniest leaks in equipment, potentially saving your organization tens of thousands of dollars annually.

How IR Testing Detects Leaking Heat

When an IR thermography survey is conducted, the infrared equipment detects temperature differences in machinery and systems that could indicate heat leaks, clogged lines or other issues. Detecting these leaks will not only save money, but depending on the severity of the leak, could also help prevent a costly shutdown. A small problem now could turn into a larger problem later on, so any type of heat leak must be addressed immediately.

The best part about thermographic scanning is that nearly all heat sources and machinery can be scanned at one time. This means production doesn’t have to be interrupted and the scanning process won’t take long.

 

The bottom line: Companies can save money and resources by using certified thermographers instead of their own maintenance personnel to detect individual heat leaks.

Potential Sources of Heat Loss

Any time your company conducts thermographic scanning, you’ll likely find some areas needing to be addressed. Patching up the faulty equipment is just as important as finding the sources of the heat loss. The heat leaks could be the result of an insulation breakdown, for example. So if you would patch only the small portion of the machine where the heat leak is coming from, you’d be overlooking a larger issue.

Heat loss can come from a variety of sources, including excessive gear or bearing temperatures, insulation issues, moisture buildup and more. Finding the source of the issue and fixing it is the best way to save costs and prevent further issues from developing.

Consequences of Leaked Heat

There are obvious cost consequences when your machinery is leaking heat. Ovens, kilns and furnaces produce heat at high temperatures, so even the slightest heat leak will cause the machines to work harder. The unnecessarily harder work means they are running less efficiently and wasting energy in the process.

A small heat leak could have a large trickle-down effect if not addressed promptly. The worst-case scenario is the furnace or oven breaks down completely, forcing your company to shut down a portion of the production process.

The importance of infrared thermography when looking for possible heat leaks can’t be overstated. Companies can’t afford to ignore signs of possible heat leaks, even if they seem minor when discovered.
If you’ve never conducted an IR test at your facility, now is the time. Don’t wait! Contact us to schedule an appointment.

thermography inspection

IR Testing Finds What a General Shutdown Can’t

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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.

Steam traps experienced the benefits of infrared inspection.

What You Need to Know About Infrared Steam Trap Testing

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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!

Infrared Consulting Services infrared roof moisture survey

A Brief Guide to Roof Leaks: What Causes Them and What Can Be Done About Them Pt. 2

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If you only examine the surface of your roof to determine if there are any leaks, you may be overlooking some important factors. Sometimes a roof leak isn’t evident until you go deeper and get an infrared roof moisture survey completed. Many times these surveys can detect a leak before they even occur, saving your business a lot of time, money and unnecessary headaches. Part two of this two-part series discusses the infrared inspection process.

Infrared Scanning Process

The average person will struggle when trying to learn the science behind the infrared thermography process. Instead, business owners just need to look at it as a more in-depth way of seeing what’s going on with their commercial roof.

Infrared cameras and equipment measure temperatures of the roof to determine the presence of moisture. Discrepancies with the temperature of one area compared to adjacent areas could determine the presence of moisture and a possible leak.

The infrared scanning process usually occurs in the evening hours when the roof has been exposed to sunlight for an extended amount of time. Sunlight causes the roof to heat up, making the temperature rise in areas with trapped moisture. Without the use of infrared cameras, it’s impossible to see or feel the temperature differences in most cases.

When to Use Infrared

You can certainly use infrared consulting services to conduct a roof survey when you’ve discovered a leak on your own. However, you would be better off having an infrared expert come out before it gets to that point. Doing so will help you save some money and prevent major damage.

The average business owner may think they can’t detect a roof leak until it rains. However, with the technology of infrared thermography, roof moisture can be detected at any time. There’s never a bad time to get an infrared roof inspection.

Preventative Maintenance

Having an infrared roof moisture survey completed frequently will help prevent major damage from roof leaks. The infrared inspection process can take a little bit of time, but it rarely interrupts your day-to-day business operations. Once you have the results of the inspection in your hands, you can determine whether the roof needs to be repaired immediately or not. Preventative maintenance goes a long way in protecting the integrity of your roof, but you may not know what needs attention unless you have an infrared test conducted.

It’s difficult to predict when a roof will begin leaking, so that’s why infrared technology should be used on a regular basis. Even the experts at Infrared Consulting Services have a difficult time identifying problem areas with the naked eye. That’s why the importance of infrared can’t be understated.

If you need to schedule a roof inspection, or would like more information about the inspection process, be sure to contact us today.

Infrared Consulting Services infrared thermography

A Brief Guide to Roof Leaks: What Causes Them and What Can Be Done About Them Pt. 1

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The best way to prevent roof leaks is to know what causes them in the first place. Sometimes a roof leak can be a quick and easy fix, but other times it can take a significant amount of effort, even for professionals. It’s always advisable to commission infrared consulting services to conduct a routine survey of your commercial roof, just as a preventative maintenance measure. Some problems with your roof may be easy to identify, but some may not be. In this first part of our two-part guide, we will look at some of the causes of commercial roof leaks.

Standing Water

Many commercial buildings, especially older ones, have flat roofs. Unless the proper drainage system is in place, those roofs are prone to standing water. It’s easy to guess what standing water can do to a roof. The sheer weight of the water alone can compromise the integrity of the roof. If that’s your main problem, you don’t even need an infrared thermography test to determine what needs to be fixed.

Roof Penetrations

Objects like drains, pipes, vents, gas lines and HVAC units could penetrate through the roof membrane. Any object cutting through the roof could cause a roof leak. When you have an infrared roof moisture survey, many times the source of the leak is identified near a penetration object. These objects require frequent maintenance to ensure the water seal is strong and effective.

Membrane Damage

A roof membrane’s main function is to prevent water from coming into the interior of the building. Membrane damage generally isn’t a problem until the building begins to age. After the sun and weather beat down on the roof for many years, it eventually will begin to crack or split. When this happens, it’s probably time to get in touch with an infrared consulting services professional to determine the severity of the damage and how to fix the roof most efficiently.

Old Age

When you have an infrared roof moisture survey completed, the professional will likely ask how old the roof is. A roof isn’t going to last forever, so any kind of water leak or moisture penetration could simply be because the roof is old. If the roof as a whole doesn’t look structurally sound enough to prevent water from entering, it may be time to replace it completely rather than just patch up current problem areas.

These are just a few common causes to roof leaks, but there are many others as well. Part two of this guide will discuss the inspection process, but feel free to get in touch with us if you would like more information about the causes of commercial roof leaks.

Motor systems can improve with infrared consulting services.

How Infrared Consulting Services Can Help Improve Your Motor Systems

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Having a motor maintenance program in place is one of the most overlooked aspects in companies today. By doing a circuit analysis and thermography inspection, you can predict when to perform maintenance rather than waiting until it’s too late. Many people underestimate the value of infrared testing. However, the cost savings in the long run are significant enough to give infrared testing a serious look. Here are some ways infrared services can help improve your motor systems.

Identify Any Potential Repairs Needed

Infrared problem prevention methods will provide you with results you wouldn’t otherwise see. It’s difficult for anyone to see or feel when the temperature of any part of a motor is warmer or cooler than the other. With infrared testing, you can easily identify hot spots, which could cause problems in the short-term or long-term. Performing a test to identify potential repairs before a problem occurs is a big cost saver.

Makes Motors More Reliable

Any infrared consulting services will look at your motor from the standpoint it should be running perfectly. It’s much easier to diagnose a problem if you are looking at the motor in general, rather than just a specific component or two. When you have a professional do routine infrared testing on your motors, they will be able to compare how the motor looked the previous time versus during the current test. As long as routine testing is completed, you’ll have a better chance of having a more reliable and efficient motor.

Predictive Maintenance

When you do a thermography inspection, you are essentially conducting preventive maintenance. Whether or not you think there is a current issue with a motor, it’s still a good idea to get infrared testing done regularly. Since it is impossible to detect some problems with the naked eye, IR testing can help you see a potential problem before it escalates and becomes costly.

Infrared testing is an essential part of any predictive maintenance program for motors. When it’s completed correctly and routinely, companies will experience much lower maintenance costs, as well as higher productivity, more reliability and increased uptime. Without a solid predictive maintenance program, you’re leaving the health of your motor to chance. The money you spend for routine motor maintenance upfront will pay for itself in the long run.

Many companies are beginning to see the benefits of having an infrared problem prevention program in place. Our consultants at Infrared Consulting Services can identify problems at any workplace, even if there doesn’t appear to be an issue at all. If you need to schedule an infrared test for your motors, contact us today to set up an appointment or to get more information about the procedure.

Consider IR thermography to look for little known problems.

Four More Little-Known Uses for IR Thermography

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Companies today are beginning to see the importance of conducting routine infrared testing. In fact, IR thermography testing is required in some places. Infrared technology is most commonly used in detecting roof moisture, electrical inspections, building envelopes, high voltages and other objects and structures. However, there are other uses people may not be aware of. Proper awareness of the benefits of infrared technology outside of the basic uses will help prevent potential costly issues. Here is a list of four uses for infrared technology you may be able to benefit from.

  1. Transformers

Fluid-filled transformers must have the proper liquid level to perform properly. Over time, the gauges can become difficult or impossible to read, leaving people to guess at what the liquid level is. Thermal imaging services can help detect the fluid level in transformers and indicate when there’s a radiator cooling issue. If you have a warm transformer tank with a cool radiator, you know there’s a risk of the transformer overheating.

  1. Terminations and Splices

IR thermography is typically used for terminations and splices as a safety precaution. In many cases, before professionals go underground to work on splices, infrared testing must be performed to ensure safety. Infrared testing can also identify problems relating to conductor integrity.

  1. Switchgears

Identifying possible thermal failures of important switchgear equipment is crucial for worker safety. In some cases, permanent thermal sensors have to be installed to identify problems immediately. Outdoor switchgear assemblies have strip heaters to regulate the temperature during different times of the day or year. Thermal imaging services come into play when there is no detection of heat, meaning there’s a problem that needs to be addressed before a larger issue occurs.

  1. Items Not Carrying Current

Most of the time, infrared consulting services will take a quick look at the entire job site, in addition to the specific equipment they’re testing. The reason behind this is to detect heat from objects that shouldn’t be carrying current. Inductive heating can be a hazard to workers and equipment and it would go unnoticed without infrared testing.

Another item generally not carrying current is a ground connection. If infrared testing indicates a ground connection has increased in temperature, it signifies a potential problem.

Infrared technology has many more uses than the common ones associated with it. At Infrared Consulting Services, we know the ins-and-outs of infrared technology and can help in any industry. For other little-known uses for infrared technology or to learn how we can help provide your company with routine IR testing, contact us at any time!

Find mold problems early with infrared thermography.

How Can Infrared Thermography Help Detect Mold Growth?

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Mold growth can happen anywhere in commercial buildings, no matter how well you take care of the daily maintenance and cleaning. All it takes is a leaky water pipe or a slight hole in a roof and mold could be present within a day or two. The best way to ensure you don’t have a major mold problem in your building is to detect mold growth early on. With the help of infrared thermography, you can detect where mold could potentially grow and get ahead of the problem before it takes over.

Frequent Building Inspections Help

Mold grows in the most inconvenient locations, making it difficult for the average person to see. It’s always best to hire infrared consulting services to do an infrared inspection on your building frequently. The process of infrared inspection is quick and can easily detect conditions promoting mold growth.

With the use of an infrared camera, experts can detect slight temperature differences in parts of walls and roofs, which are usually indications of favorable conditions for mold. Since the temperature differences aren’t noticeable by just touching the area, professionals must use infrared thermography.

Detecting and Preventing Mold Growth

When your company uses infrared problem prevention services for your building, you save a lot of money in the long run. Having an infrared inspection done on a regular basis will not only detect the presence of possible mold, but can also help you determine what maintenance needs to be done.

The problem may be as simple as patching a hole where moisture can enter, or you could detect a larger issue that could have been detrimental to your business. It’s a scary reality when you don’t know what is growing behind the walls of your building. The best thing to do is get ahead of the problem, and the only way to do that is with infrared thermography.

As a business owner, one of your main priorities should be keeping your employees safe. The presence of mold could have lasting negative effects on your company. When you’re looking for infrared consulting services, give us a call and we will be happy to come out to take a look. Whether you want to schedule regular testing or just want a thorough inspection first, we are here to help.