Thermography is the use of an infrared imaging camera to "see" and measure thermal energy emitted from an object.

IR Services - Roofing

IR Infrared Services' infrared roofing inspections can detect leaks and pinpoint water-soaked areas that can reveal unseen damage to insulation and other roofing materials. This allows you to repair only the damaged areas, rather than replace the entire roof. Early detection of roof leaks can also save thousands of dollars in related repairs of walls, floors, and other exposed equipment. We inspect many types of roofs, including commercial flat or sloped roofs and residential roofing systems. An infrared roof inspection is ideal for anyone considering purchasing a home or commercial property. The information we provide can be used for proper evaluation and/or as a valuable negotiating tool.

Applications

• Commercial flat or sloped roofs
• Residential roofs
• Due diligence surveys

Benefits of Roofing Inspections

• Avoids disrupting facility schedules because thermal inspections are non-contact and non-destructive. With an infrared camera, thermographers can scan large roof sections quickly and identify areas damaged by moisture
• Reduces the risk of structural damage by detecting moisture intrusion early
• Utilizes roof maintenance dollars more effectively by repairing only the damaged areas
• Identifies small problems before they become large ones
• Simplifies performing due diligence before purchasing a home or commercial property. This information is often invaluable during negotiations
• Provides manufacturers with information for roof warranties
• Reduces the risk of moisture retention, which can lead to bacterial mold growth
  
  

Procedure

IR Infrared Services' infrared roofing inspections are performed at night to locate wet insulation, wet membrane or flashing problems.  The roof absorbs the heat of the sun during the day then at night the dry sections dissipate heat faster then the moist areas.  These moist areas retain the thermal energy from the sun and the thermal pattern is visualized by the infrared camera.

Moisture Intrusion: Roofs are typically inspected in the evening when the sun goes down and the roof shingles cool. Water trapped under the shingles or in the insulation will retain the heat from the sun longer than the surrounding materials. In this IR image an isotherm was applied to the image so that all temperatures above 102 degrees F are colored and all temperatures below 102 are grey. This method allows one to clearly see the anomalies. Here we have parts of the roof that has retained heat signifying a potential moisture problem.

 

This is a visible view of the above roof. It is helpful to have both an IR and visual image to compare and locate problems.

All hotspots are not necessarily moisture intrusion. For example, the bottom portion of the door shows up hot, but that is simply because the bottom of the door is made of metal which has retained the sun's heat.