Infrared thermography is one of the most cost effective predictive maintenance technologies available to quickly, accurately, and without interruption of operations, locate problems in various types of systems prior to failure. In layman’s terms Infrared Thermography is utilizing a non-destructive technology to detect abnormal thermal patterns (infrared energy) from an object .
Electrical Systems:
In electrical system, mismatched or improperly installed components create resistance which leads to increased heating and eventual failure. Utilizing a thermographic survey, we can help you and / or your electricians spot and identify these "hot spots" which are generally caused by poor connections, overloaded circuits, or load imbalances. This will hopefully give you enough time to correct these issues safely, before you loose an entire panel, feed, transformer or have a major fire on your hands. While we do not open high voltage panels we will gladly let your electrician do so and share the results with them in real time.
Mechanical Systems:
In mechanical systems (pumps, motors, conveyor systems, etc...), overheating can be caused by internal problems caused by bad bearings, misaligned equipment, improper lubrication, and / or improper tension on drive belts. Just as a quick example, is it easier and more cost effective to replace a bad bearing or the entire pump when it fails? This does lead to one important reminder - these scans should not be conducted during periods of down time at your business - machines being scanned need to be up and running for an accurate picture of any current problem areas.
Flat Roof Inspections:
As we all know, roofs are meant to protect the interior and to quickly shed water off of them. Unfortunately a flat roof relies on scuppers and drains that can get blocked. This allows water to do what it does best, and that is find it's own way which can spell death for not only the roof, but the underlying deck system. Using infrared technology we can scan a variety of insulated flat roof systems (built-up gravel, modified bitumen, sprayed polyurethane foam, single-ply, and EPDM) to help pinpoint the damaged area's so those can be fixed, instead of redoing the entire roof. This requires a dry roof (no standing water), and for the quickest and best results - a sunny day, and if at all possible a clear night. While it may be possible to complete the scans during the early morning hours, best results are generally gotten during the evening hours.
Residential & Commercial Buildings:
There are numerous items that can be detected using an Infrared Scan; the most common scans are for missing insulation, air leaks, moisture buildup (i.e. locations of mold growth), leak detection (pipes, roofing, windows), radiant heating diagnostics, and thermal bridging.
As an FYI - while todays IR Cameras are leaps and bounds beyond what was available just a few years ago, doing exterior scans, insulation scans, and a few others is dependent on the weather.
Pricing:
Hourly & Consulting Rates: 2 Hour base charge is $199. Additional hours are billed at $80 which includes scanning, report writing, and/ or consulting / interpreting the results. Additional mileage &/or lodging charges apply for travel outside of a 50 mile radius.
Flat Fee for Electrical, Motor, & Predictive Maintenance Scans: With the proper information we can eliminate the guesswork on "how long" and create a flat fee invoice for approval.
