IR Infrared Services Blog

Baseline Infrared Imagery

2010-04-22T12:15:00.001-04:00

Although I strongly believe in scheduling semi-annual or annual infrared thermography scans as part of your maintenance plan, it is helpful to create a baseline scan for all new equipment as well.

What is a baseline scan? A baseline scan provides baseline data for comparision for subsequent infrared scans. It makes it easier and quicker to troubleshoot potential issues and helps spot problems before they become catastrophic. With baseline scan records, trend analysis of motors and bearings can provide an early warning of impending problems.

Your company invests a substantial amount of money into equipment. To get the best return on that investment, it makes sense to keep that equipment at its peak efficiency - and to have the peace of mind to know it is operating that way from the point of installation. Doesn't it make sense to have a baseline scan done of any new equipment?

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thermalimageguy

What is an Arc Flash Event?

2010-04-15T17:30:00.002-04:00

One of the scariest and most catastrophic events that can happen in any type of building (but especially in a chemical or manufacturing plant) is an Arc Flash Event. Not only can an arc flash cause enormous amounts of damage to equipment, it can cause serious injury or even death.

An Arc flash (or arc blast) is an electrical explosion resulting from a short circuit through air that flashes over from one exposed live conductor to another conductor or to ground.

Arc flash incidents are common and costly, and the frequency of reported accidents is increasing. Each year, arc flash events cause millions of dollars in equipment damage, injuires and deaths. Often times these injuries are caused by shrapnel from the damaged equipment hurtling through the air at over 700 miles per hour.

Infrared scans are able to spot abnormally high operating temperatures and identify them as Critical faults, giving you and your company the opportunity to fix it at a fraction of the cost of an arc flash event - and more importantly - protect the safety of your team.

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thermalimageguy

What is Predictive Maintenance?

2010-04-08T16:00:00.000-04:00

I talk alot about thermal imaging being part of a predictive maintenance plan. So what exactly is predictive maintenance? What makes it different from preventative maintenance? And lastly, which is more cost effective - predictive maintenance or preventative maintenance?

What is Predictive Maintenance?

Predictive maintenance is a way to evaluate your current equipment to determine its condition so you can predict the optimimum time to perform maintenance. The goal is to perform maintenance when maintenance activity is most cost-effective and before the equipment loses performance within a threshold. Most Predictive Maintenance inspections are done while your equipment is in service so your normal system operations aren't disrupted. Thermal imaging scans are an ideal way to do predictive maintenance on your equipment.

Predictive Maintenance is different from preventative maintenance which is usually performed on a set schedule based on usage statistics or time. Preventative maintenance is done regularly whether it is needed or not.

Preventative Maintenance is labor intensive, ineffective in identifying problems that develop between scheduled inspections, and therefore is not as cost-effective as Predictive Maintenance. On the other hand, since Predictive Maintenance inspections are performed while your equipment is in service, you minimize the disruption of normal system operations as well as labor costs, result in substantial cost savings and higher system reliability.

Infrared thermography is used for the predictive maintenance of mechanical, electrical, and building diagnostic systems. Some specific examples include:

motors

pumps

bearings

compressors

conveyor idlers

loose connections

corrosion

load imbalances

Implementing an infrared thermography program as part of your predictive maintenance is easily justified by its ROI.

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thermalimageguy

What is Infrared Thermography?

2010-04-01T12:07:00.013-04:00

Recently I talked to someone about how thermography could reduce his maintenance costs for his building and identify structural issues before they become expensive problems. During our conversation, I realized how it is still a relatively new service for many so I thought I'd do a series of blogs explaining what infrared thermography is and why you should incorporate an annual scan into your building maintenance plans.

What is Infrared Thermography?

Simply explained, it is the production of non-contact infrared or heat pictures from which temperature measurements can be made.

IR Infrared Services uses a portable infrared imaging system to take pictures of your building and equipment. Those pictures show levels of heat in color. For example:

This equipment looks perfectly normal to
the naked eye, right?

But an infrared picture shows a dangerous
issue that, if left unfixed, could cause
alot of expensive damage.

Thermal images provide visible pictures for quantitive temperature analysis. You can then take corrective action before costly system failures. This is why Infrared (IR) thermography is a valuable tool for predictive maintanence and process monitoring systems.

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thermalimageguy

Flat Roofs and Moisture Issues

2010-03-09T12:11:00.003-05:00

A friend of mine lives in a condo. The condo is part of a group of buildings with flat roofs. There have been repeated issues with roof leaks over this past winter. The roofers have been out multiple times, fixing the leaks when they show up. Drywallers and painters are a constant fixture. In her frustration, she wondered why they can't just find and fix the roof leaks or why they don't just replace the entire roof. She wonders how much her HOA fees will increase because of the repeated visits from the roofers.

It's stories like this that prove the value of infrared imaging. Often the place where the leak shows up can be very far away from where the actual roof damage exist. As water enters the roof through the waterproofing layer(s) by tears, cuts, poorly sealed penetrations, failed flashings and caps, the insulation below can become laden with water and trapped in the roof substrate. If left in disrepair, the concrete deck absorbs or traps water, the wood deck rots. The metal deck rusts, and water intrudes into the building’s interior. Often the visible signs (wet walls, for example) are not even close to the actual roof damage, so examining the roof above where the leak occurs often reveals nothing. That's not where the problem is.

Infrared imaging is a proven method for identifying and defining moisture problems in your roof. This way you can correct problem areas without the tremendous expense of replacing the entire roof. Next time, I'll explain how this works!

Is Infrared Thermography Expensive?

2010-02-23T16:25:00.003-05:00

Have you ever put off going to the doctor for a physical because you didn't know how much it would cost? Or avoid having a car mechanic listen to that little ping in the engine? We imagine the expense will be so great that we wait, and then the little issue becomes a really big issue!

Since many consider Infrared Testing of Electrical Equipment to be a preventative measure, they put it off until a really big issue comes up. They might think it's a very expensive test and not economically feasible.

Would it surprise you to learn that the typical inspection cost per day is between $500 and $1050? Once a baseline infrared inspection is done, the frequency of follow-up inspections depends on the number of problems found during the initial survey, and may gradually reduce to once every 3-5 years.

How much can you save on your building insurance with regular infrared inspections? In many cases, the cost of the inspection results in lowered premiums that more than make up for the cost of preventative electrical component testing through infrared inspections.

So don't wait for a little easily fixable issue to turn into a roaring fire costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Find out if a full-service electrical infrared survey is right for your business!

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thermalimageguy

Faulty Breaker Box Can Cause Thousands of Dollars of Damage

2010-02-18T13:13:00.004-05:00

Quick! Go take a look at one of the breaker boxes in your building. I bet it looks normal doesn't it? Maybe a little like this?

Here is a Thermal scan of the same breaker box. Note the abnormal heat level on the left. Scary isn't it?

This is why most commercial insurance companies provide discounts for property managers who conduct regular thermography scans of their buildings. What could be a horrific issue is easy to fix when you know it's there.

Thermal imaging is the only non-intrusive safe way to inspect for issues that you can't see with the naked eye.

Thermography picks ups other issues as well, including energy leaks. It's a win-win!

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thermalimageguy

Federal Tax Credit to Renovate Your Home

2009-12-22T09:39:00.004-05:00

I just read a couple of interesting blogs about the tax credits.

If you own your own home and it is your principal residence, this federal tax credit program provides up to 30% of some of your upgrade costs in tax credits back to you. Wow! That can be alot of money at the end of the day.

What is included? The easiest way to find out is to visit the Energy Star website here: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index.

The U.S. Department of Energy has a great article that discusses how a thermographic inspection can detect defects and air leakage. http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11200

So how does this tie in with a thermographic inspection? Easy. In this economy, you want every penny that you spend to count. An infrared inspection can quickly identify areas where heat is leaking (for example, drafts around windows and doors), where you need to replace insulation, or other structurally weak areas (does your roof need replacing?). This allows you to make informed decisions about what areas of your home need renovating.

The federal tax credit applies to such areas as adding, replacing or upgrading:

Biomass Stoves
Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Insulation
Metal and Asphalt Roofs
Water Heaters
Windows and Doors

Please visit the Energy Star website for detailed information about the homeowner tax credit program and call us for your affordable thermography inspection!

IR Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com.

Baby It's Cold Out There!

2009-12-08T10:18:00.002-05:00

As temperatures continue to drop around the Carolinas, how sure are you that you are not losing precious heat because of unseen heat loss? Rather than put another sweater on (and maybe some gloves and a hat!) consider a thermal imaging scan.

A infrared inspection will inspect the quality of insulation inside your building, as well as numerous other areas where heat loss can occur, such as cracks or breaks in building seals. Temperature scans inside and outside – along ceilings, floors, walls, windows, doors, vents and pipes – immediately show problem areas. A thermal imager with a blower door will quickly locate other sources of heat loss, such as insufficient insulation or broken seals, leaking HVAC ductwork or improper construction techniques.

Another quick hint is that wood alone is NOT a good insulator. Replacing inefficient wood doors with insulated fiberglass or metal doors is a good investment. With energy prices out of sight, replacement costs can be recovered quickly.

Certified Thermographers

2009-12-01T11:00:00.004-05:00

Technology and equipment is becoming increasingly more sophisticated. I'm always surprised by the equipment people have stashed away! Remember when PCs first became available for your house? Not quite the streamlined netbooks on the market today!

Sometimes all this instant technological availability means I run into customers who already have some infrared equipment. Why use a certified thermographer if you already have a small infrared camera?

First, a thermographer will have professional level equipment that generally will produce higher and better quality scans. It's his job to have the best equipment available. For example, would you use a mobile phone camera to take your Christmas family photo or a high quality camera? Having a relatively small number of pixels, low resolution and small field of view, there is a higher probability of missing or misinterpreting a fault. These devices are best used for spot checks.

The sophisticated level of technology and the value of use makes infrared cameras expensive. One really must look at the economics of purchasing an IR camera. There is a lot of economic merit in using an experienced, qualified full time thermographer, delivering a quality service with good equipment at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a camera to be used occasionally by relatively inexperienced operators.

IR Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com.

Can You Deep Fry a Turkey Using Thermography?

2009-11-25T13:48:00.004-05:00

I'm pretty sure Paula Deen would say "No!" Sadly, although you cannot fry a turkey using thermal imaging, we could probably detect Tom Turkey if he got lost in an unseen hole in your insulation.

In all seriousness, a huge thank you goes out to all of our clients, friends, and family for their ongoing support this year. May everyone have a safe and happy holiday season!

ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes

2009-11-12T12:58:00.002-05:00

When a builder says his homes are Energy Star Qualified, what does that mean? Curious about the requirements?

Here's a quick downloadable file that contains the requirements for the ENERGY STAR Builder Option Package (BOP). A home must meet the specified requirements, and be field-tested
in accordance with the HERS Standards by a RESNET-accredited Provider. More information can be found at www.energystar.gov/homes or we'd be happy to assist!

IR Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com.

Proactive or Reactive Maintenance?

2009-11-10T11:18:00.001-05:00

Let’s talk about two different scenarios:

Your business is humming along, employees are busy and a huge order has just come in from a very important customer. With the economy what it is, you are thankful for this new order and infusion of cash. This order is going to make a huge impact on your business.

And in the middle of it, a vital piece of equipment fails.

Now you are faced with being unable to deliver for your client, a potentially enormous repair bills, employees standing idle, and no idea what is wrong with your equipment. Will it need to be repaired? Replaced?

Scenario two: You have a Process Monitoring Program in place that regularly inspects and monitors the condition of your equipment. A few weeks ago, this regularly scheduled program detected the beginnings of a minor issue with your equipment. A quick visit by a repairperson averts what could have been a major failure. Spending a few dollars on preventative maintenance has saved you many thousands in mechanical equipment failure.

Hmmm…as a business owner or manager, which scenario works better for you?

As part of our Process Monitoring Program, IR Services inspects and monitors the condition of equipment to detect mechanical and electrical problems at the earliest stages, before a failure occurs. Process Monitoring gives you the convenience of scheduling your repairs when the necessary parts and personnel are available. This proactive approach to maintenance allows recalling information on any piece of equipment from the database to evaluate equipment trends and predict possible failures.

Predictive maintenance reflects a sound management philosophy–it means you are managing the maintenance process rather than maintenance emergencies controlling your operation.

A predictive maintenance strategy makes it possible to set your own repair schedules.

We catalogue the information into a historical database you can use to easily spot anomalies as you monitor equipment deterioration over time.
Reduces Operational Risk – PdM provides a proactive approach to maintenance control, rather than a reactive response to equipment emergencies that cause unexpected shutdowns.
Relies on periodic Condition Monitoring (CM)
Ability to determine the degree of component degradation
Identifies many problems at the earliest stages, before costly failures occur
Perform maintenance tasks based on need, rather than an arbitrary schedule
Increases the efficiency of your maintenance personnel - Eliminates time once wasted on jiggling wires in attempts to diagnose problems
Pre-identifies problems before they become failures
Prevent or Reduce Equipment Damage
Spot small problems before they can become big problems
Prolong the life of expensive capital equipment
Prevent or minimize catastrophic failures

Infrared Thermographic Testing Can Prevent Electrical Failures

2009-11-05T16:58:00.004-05:00

I recently read an interesting article by CNA (you can read the whole article here: http://www.irinfraredservices.com/pdffiles/ElectricalFailuresAreaMajorCauseofLosses.pdf )
that claims the "largest single cause of dollar losses and more than 30% of all Fire losses" are due to electrical failure. In fact, electrical failure is the LEADING cause of industrial monetary loss.

Can you imagine knowing that you could effectively reduce the chances of devastating loss to your company through electrical failure simply by performing periodic thermographic inspections? Thermographic inspections can detect loose or corroded connections, overloaded or unbalanced circuits, and can show where corrective action should be focused.

It simply doesn't make financial sense to ignore the facts.

IR Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina.

What Issues Can Be Found With Thermography?

2009-10-29T21:10:00.001-04:00

I'm often asked why I think thermography is so effective. What makes it better than a normal inspection?

All components within a building generate infrared radiation. This heat is invisible to the human eye and can only be detected by infrared thermography. Infrared Thermography can be used to locate a number of issues related to buildings ranging from energy loss to leaks in flat roofs and damp location surveys.

The camera observes the infrared signals and displays the image electronically on a LCD screen. Professional Thermographers can diagnose which elements are generating heat or losing heat and advise on remedial action.

The following list details some of the types of surveys we routinely carry out:

Location of leaks on flat roofs
Identification of water leaks or damp
Assessment of energy loss from buildings
Identify faults or leaks in underfloor heating systems
Location of pipes in floors or walls
Survey and inspect underfloor heating systems
Identify insulation defects in walls
Locate drafts or air infiltration in buildings
Check window or door seal integrity
Check cold store insulation and air integrity

Common Home Problems - Can They Be Solved with a Home Energy Audit?

2009-09-10T16:20:00.004-04:00

In today's shifting economy, making sure your home is functioning in an energy-efficient way can have a big impact on your energy bills. Did you know that if you have one or more the following problems, a home energy audit can identify the issue and recommend how to fix it?

High Energy Bills
High utility bills in summer and winter can often be traced to air leaks in your home's envelope, inefficient windows or inefficient or incorrectly installed heating and cooling equipment, or poorly sealed and insulated ducts.
Mold, Mildew or Musty Odors
Water leaks or high humidity can lead to mold and mildew. This can cause wood rot, structural damage, peeling paint, and a variety of health problems. Often, high humidity in homes with central air conditioners can be traced to improperly sized or installed air conditioners.
Damp Basement
A damp basement is commonly caused by moisture migrating through the foundation. As this moisture evaporates, it increases indoor humidity and can promote the growth of mold — resulting in an uncomfortable house.
Cold Floors in Winter
Some types of floor coverings (such as wood, stone, tile, or concrete) will naturally feel cold on bare feet. However, insufficient insulation or air infiltration can also cause cold floors.
Drafty Rooms
Cold air coming into or going out of your house, especially through leaks hidden in the attic and basement, can cause rooms to feel drafty and uncomfortable.
Dust
Increased dust could be a sign that it is time to change your air filter or that your ductwork is not well sealed.
Moisture on Windows
Inefficient windows or high indoor moisture levels from air leaks can result in condensation, frost, or pools of water on windows and sills.
Ice Dams
Warm air inside your home leaks into the attic and will warm the underside of the roof causing snow and ice to melt and refreeze as it runs off your roof — forming icicles and ice dams.
Peeling Paint
Peeling or cracking paint on your home's exterior may be a sign of a humidity problem or improper paint application.
Hot or Cold Rooms
Significant differences in temperature from one room to another could be caused by several factors, including inadequate insulation, air leakage, poor duct performance, and improperly installed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
Dry Indoor Air in Winter
Air leaks in your home allow warm humid air to escape and draw in drier colder air.

Launching Infrared Services Website

2009-06-09T19:10:00.001-04:00

Can't believe we are finally launching our new website: www.irinfraredservices.com. We've been doing this for quite a while now, and it's exciting to be on the Web.

It's amazing to me how few people realize that a home energy audit can save them more money than it costs to have the thermographic energy audit done. It's non-invasive and easily finds fugitive emissions, wood rot, heat loss, and other issues that leak dollars from your wallet.

I'm totally nervous about this thing called Twittering, but they have me set up as ThermalImageGuy. Should be an interesting year!