IR Infrared Services Blog

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

Labels: business infrared inspections, commercial thermographers, home inspections in Rock Hill, predictive maintenance inspctions

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.

Labels: certified thermographers, federal tax credit home renovation, home inspections in Rock Hill, infrared thermal home inspections

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.

Labels: business thermography, home energy audit, home inspections in Rock Hill, infrared thermal home inspections, thermography

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.

Labels: home inspections in Rock Hill, infrared thermal home inspections, preventing electrical failure, thermographic testing

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

Labels: home energy audit, home inspections in Rock Hill, infrared thermal home inspections, thermography