Thermography is the use of an infrared imaging and measurement camera to "see" and "measure " thermal energy emitted from an object.
Thermal, or infrared energy, is light that is not visible because its wavelength is too long to be detected by the human eye; it's the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we perceive as heat. Unlike visible light, in the infrared world, everything with a temperature above absolute zero emits heat. Even very cold objects, like ice cubes, emit infrared. The higher the object's temperature, the greater the IR radiation emitted. Infrared allows us to see what our eyes cannot.
Thermography uses specially designed infrared video or still cameras to make images (called thermograms) that show surface heat variations. Pure Air Control Services uses the most accurate thermographic inspection device - a thermal imaging camera, which produces a 2-dimensional thermal picture of an area showing heat leakage which is an indication of moisture content. Besides detection of moisture content, this technology has a number of applications. Thermograms, for example, can detect abnormally hot electrical connections or components. Thermograms of mechanical systems can detect the heat created by excessive friction
Infrared scanning allows the technician to check the effectiveness of insulation in a building’s construction. The resulting thermograms help the technician determine whether a building needs insulation, and where in the building it should go. Because wet insulation conducts heat faster than dry insulation, thermographic scans of roofs can often detect roof leaks.
In addition to using thermography during an indoor air quality audit, scans should be done before building purchase; even new buildings can have defects in their thermal envelopes. You may wish to include a clause in the contract requiring a thermographic scan of the building. A thermographic scan performed by Pure Air Control Services is accurate enough to use as documentation in court proceedings.
Thermographic scans can be done inside or outside a structure. Exterior scans, while more convenient for the building owner, have a number of drawbacks. Warm air escaping from a building does not always move through the walls in a straight line. Heat loss detected in one area of an outside wall might originate at some other hard-to-find location inside the wall. Air movement also affects the thermal image. On windy days, it is harder to detect temperature differences on the outside surface of the building. The reduced air movement and ease of locating air leaks and moisture often make interior thermographic scans more effective.
Pure Air Control Services has conducted thermographic inspections for a variety of clients. If you are interested in a thermographic scan or would like additional information, please contact:
Vik Ahuja, CIAQP
Vahuja@PureAirControls.com
Pure Air Control Services
4911 Creekside Drive, Suite C
(800) 422-7873 ext. 804
