Identify Building Defects with Thermal Imaging
The importance of thermal imaging for finding defects in buildings cannot be overstated. Thermal imaging allows for non-invasive inspections on all types of buildings and it’s also a valuable tool for energy audits and aiding restoration and remediation projects. It allows for quick and accurate detection and documentation of problems, without causing damage to the building during the inspection.
Thermal Imaging to Identify Building Defects
Using thermal imaging inspections, we can quickly show infrared images to our customers helping them to target any problem areas. By using highly trained level 3 engineers and high-quality Infrared cameras we can quickly document issues, direct work priority, and then verify that repair or remediation work was done properly upon completion.
Thermal imaging is a powerful tool for identifying various defects in a commercial building facade. Here are the top 10 defects commonly found:
- Air Leaks in windows, doors and general building fabric
In many new and existing buildings one of the main issues Gaps around windows, doors, and other openings where conditioned air escapes.
When cool seeps through a leak into the condition space within a building, the cooling is visible with a thermal imager. Thermal imaging can also be used to identify heat escaping from a structure. When thermal imaging is combined with blower door test equipment, it’s one of the most powerful combinations to identify potential convective energy loss. customers can achieve significant energy costs savings once these issues have been resolved.
- Poorly Installed or Missing Insulation:
Many of our surveys pick up areas of missing or damaged insulation, which leads to excess heat loss.
When insulation is damaged or missing, or has settled over time, a different thermal pattern is usually visible compared to the rest of the wall where the insulation has been installed correctly. These areas can often be a source of conductive heat loss or gain, which can lead to higher energy usage.
- Water Leaks and Moisture Intrusion:
Water leaks in the building fabric (roofs, walls, and floors) can lead to both Mold growth and structural damage to the building as well as health issues to the occupants.
Moisture in roofing materials often leads to two scenarios— water leaks into the structure, which leads to reduced insulating properties of the roof itself. Due to the difference in thermal capacitance of wet building materials versus dry ones, moisture problems in flat roofs and/or low-slope built-up roofs can easily be detected with the use of a good quality thermal imaging camera. Infrared inspections can usually extend the life of roofs by accurately identifying the critical problem areas, which can be repaired, thus preventing premature full replacement costs
As well as roofs, moisture in the rest of the building fabric, such as walls and floors can cause similar damage as roof leaks. Our thermal imaging team can identify moisture trapped in walls and floors. Damp areas change temperature more slowly than dry areas, and are also subject to evaporative cooling, which allow them to become visible to the infrared camera. Causes of this type of unwanted moisture can include plumbing leaks, leaks from the outside, and condensation issues. A build-up of moisture inside buildings can cause air quality issues from mound and mildew. Bad quality air within the home and workplace can cause health issues from prolonged exposure.
- Thermal Bridging within the building fabric
Thermal bridging is areas where heat bypasses insulation, often at structural elements like steel beams is called thermal bridging and is quite common in existing buildings.
Thermal bridges are pathways by which heat can move from one place to another via conduction or direct contact between building materials. It is normal to see this in many types of construction but minimizing it with proper design and insulation can reduce conductive heat loss or gain in a building envelope. Under the proper conditions, a thermal imager allows the user to easily detect and document areas where thermal bridging is occurring, and decide whether any action is warranted
- Thermal Imaging on Renovation and Retrofit Projects
When preparing for a renovation and/or retrofit project, a thermal imaging inspection can often help to indicate any issues in the existing structure. This can help clients raise issues in regard to the state of the building prior to the commencement of works. This can speed up design, planning and construction. Undertaking a before and after works survey can also verify that a retrofit was done correctly and will be more effective at reducing energy and provide a safer environment for occupants.
We undertake Level 3 Thermal imaging inspections
We provide a professional service which surpasses the specification required by BREEAM. Our thermographers are Level 3 certified, which is the highest accreditation available.
It’ worth noting that our thermal imaging services include the following:
- Level 3 thermographic certification
- Large format FLIR cameras
- A detailed report which includes thermal indexing formula for fault diagnosis, qualification, and severity grading.
To discuss options and arrange for one of our thermographic surveyors to visit your site, please call APT Sound Testing on 01525 303 905 or 07775 623464.