IR Thermography is the technique of producing pictures called thermograms, from the invisible thermal radiation that objects emit. This is a non-contact means of identifying electrical and mechanical components that are hotter than they should be, often an indication of impending failure, it also indicates excessive heat loss which is normally a sign of faulty or inadequate insulation.

Main benefits

IR Thermography is playing an increasingly important role in facility maintenance, Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) and predictive maintenance programs. Thermography detects hidden problems and allows for corrective action before costly system failures. Using IR Thermography can reduce downtime by avoiding unplanned shutdowns, by assisting in the timing and planning of scheduled maintenance. Thus allowing production time to be increased by maximising equipment availability. Thermographic equipment can also provide valuable data in building maintenance.

Common applications

• Evaluation of roofing systems.
• Detection of damp.
• Heating and cooling system evaluation.
• Heating and cooling loss detection.

Air leakage testing

Although it cannot quantify air leakage rates, infrared thermography provides the most rapid means to identify unintentional air leakage pathways in a building envelope.  The benefits of infrared thermography in this context are:

• Air leakage pathways within a completed construction can be identified and rectified prior to air permeability tests, reducing the risk of repeat testing being required.
• Depending upon the nature of the construction, even a building that meets or exceeds air tightness requirements may still be at risk of deterioration due to air leakage and subsequent condensation.Identifying where air leakage is occurring can be critical.
• Air leakage pathways can often indicate rainwater ingress pathways adding to the potential benefits of an infrared survey.