Infrared thermography is a fast and non-destructive technology that can accurately track down sources of moisture in the buildings – even when hidden behind interior walls, within insulation, or in the ceiling. It can also confirm when a wall or assembly is in fact dry.

An infrared camera detects thermal anomalies by imaging the infrared energy that is being emitted, reflected or transmitted through or from surfaces, not by reading moisture content.

While infrared can provide a valuable asset, it cannot be used as a sole source for determining defficiencies in a building envelope. Knowing what you are looking for and where to look are extremely important. Verifying infrared readings with moisture probes, intrusive test cuts or other test methods is always recommended to minimize the possible misinterpretation of infrared images.

WATER ENTRY IN WALL

In the past contact moisture meters were the best equipmentent and method to detect moisture in buildings. However, they have to be placed on the surface every so many inches. This was time consuming and expensive.

With infrared technology, you can identify the location of problem areas with extreme accuracy, taking the guess work out of trying to find issues hidden within walls, and ceilings or roofs. This saves valuable time over traditional visual methods or contact moisture meters.

Plumbing Leaks

In floor radiant heating pipes are imaged to find leaking under the concrete. This prevents the contractor from removing large sections of floor to repair a small leak.

A plumbing leak under vinyl siding up two stories indicates the source of the leak.

ROOFING SYSTEMS

Water infiltration into low-slope roofing systems causes changes in their thermal properties. Usually conducted at night, thermal imaging can help technicians identify latent moisture, as well as missing, damaged, or improperly installed insulation. All anomalies should be verified with invasive testing.

The red and yellow areas indicate water trapped in the insulation under the roof cover. This is not visible to the naked eye.

MOLD

The first step in eliminating mold is to quickly and accurately locate and remove all sources of moisture. Since some sources of moisture and areas where mold may potentially grow are impossible to see with the naked eye, infrared thermography is the ideal technology to use when inspecting buildings for restoration.

The purple indicates moisture trapped in the walls and ceiling.

LEAKING PIPE IN A WALL

This is what we see:

This is what you see:

DISASTER SURVEY

Pre and Post construction repair surveys

The thermal images generated by the infrared camera physically document the condition of the building being surveyed and can be used to help restoration companies to develop a clear plan for rehabilitation.

Insurance Loss Documentation

Infrared thermography can be used in a post-disaster inspection to quickly and accurately evaluate the extent of water damage and monitor the drying process.

Product Defect Documentation EIFS – Exterior Insulation Finish System

Construction defects: Moisture can infiltrate siding, brick veneers, stucco, stone and other facades used on buildings, especially if they are not properly installed. Without an infrared camera, it is very difficult to find the leaks caused by these weatherproofing systems. When left undetected, moisture that makes its way through the façade of a building can wind up damaging ceilings, floors, and walls within the structure itself.

Moisture behind the EIFS siding could not be seen.

Testing this entire building with a contact moisture meter would be time consuming and expensive. All four stories were scanned from the ground with minimal cost. Moisture intrusion was then verified with a contact moisture meter and destructive discovery. Thermographic imaging can accurately locate building moisture issues and track to their source of origin. You can inspect places that can’t be physically reached with moisture meters. Once repaired, you can monitor the drying process and confirm when the moisture is gone .