Thermal imaging is a non-intrusive technique designed to identify problematic areas in a commercial structure, including poor insulation and leaks, and detect energy loss in a building. Thermal imaging is a maintenance strategy that commercial building owners can incorporate to improve security and promote efficient use and access of their buildings. The main benefit of thermal imaging is that it saves time on building due diligence and diagnostics.
This helps to maximize the value of your commercial buildings by identifying early weaknesses and detecting moisture, signs of pests living in your home, and conditions that can cause health problems, structural damage, or hidden damage lurking in dark spaces. Here are some of the benefits of thermal imaging for commercial buildings:
Find Energy Leaks In Your Building
The thermal imaging camera can detect energy leaks in your commercial building. This includes locating air leaks around doors or windows that aren’t insulated. If you find a leak in your heating system, you can fix it before it causes more damage or even worse consequences, such as mold growth or other health issues for your employees or customers. Thermal imaging can also show you where there might be other sources of heat loss, such as faulty electrical wiring or lighting fixtures that need replacing.
Conserve Energy
Energy efficiency is an important factor in the overall cost of your building. With the ability to find energy leaks, you can save money on your energy bill. Leaks in your HVAC system are one of the biggest causes of wasted energy in commercial buildings. With a thermal camera, you can easily locate leaks and repair them before they cause extended damage to your business.
Reduce Carbon Footprint
Thermal imaging helps reduce carbon footprint. The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that buildings account for 40% of CO2 emissions in the United States. Using thermal imaging can help you identify areas where energy is being wasted or used inefficiently, which allows you to make changes that save money and reduce your carbon output.
Avoid Expensive Repairs
Thermal imaging allows you to see issues before they become major problems requiring costly repairs or replacement parts. They detect leaks or cracks so they can be repaired before they worsen and cause irreparable damage to your property. You might also discover electrical issues, such as loose wires or faulty switches before they cause fires. This saves money on energy bills and maintenance costs in the long run.
Thermal Imaging Can See Through Walls And Objects
Thermal imaging cameras can see through walls and objects to provide a picture of the temperature distribution within a building. This provides information about the temperature of the spaces, which is used for energy efficiency analysis and optimization.
Improve Comfort And Indoor Air Quality
When a building’s temperature fluctuates wildly between day and night, it can lead to uncomfortable conditions. Thermal imaging helps you identify areas where you need more insulation or better windows to keep the temperature more consistent throughout the day. If you plan to install Thermal imaging on the Gold Coast or in which area you are in, it is important to work with a professional.
Detecting Moisture Levels In Walls And Ceilings
Thermal imaging detects moisture levels in walls and ceilings, often indicating plumbing leaks that cause mold growth or water damage problems. Excess humidity can cause condensation on windows due to low temperatures outside during cold winters.
Using thermal imaging on commercial buildings helps you determine whether there are signs of moisture damage and repair them before they become adverse. Thermal imaging makes it easier for technicians working with HVAC systems to identify what needs fixing. It allows them to pinpoint the problem rather than guessing based on their experience alone.
An Infrared Inspection Goes Beyond A Visual Inspection
A visual inspection can help you spot water damage, but it won’t tell you what parts of the building are affected by that damage. With thermal imaging, you can see the areas where there is moisture, and which parts of the building are affected by it. This allows you to have an effective plan for fixing the problem rather than just guessing what needs to be fixed.
Identifying Problems With Your HVAC System
Thermal imaging for building diagnostics identifies poor performance within your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. This includes identifying areas where ducts are either blocked or clogged with debris, such as dust or dirt particles, which reduces airflow and causes inefficient operation for your HVAC system. This allows you to spot these problems before they become a major issue and potentially cause damage to your building.
Analyzing A Building
Thermal imaging cameras are useful tools when analyzing the building envelope. Even small issues can lead to discomfort for occupants, and an experienced inspector should always be on hand to further analyze those problems and provide solutions.
Spotting Early Condensation
Condensation occurs when warm moist air in your building comes into contact with cold walls. This can lead to increased dampness areas on your walls, which can create further issues like staining, mold, and spoilage to building fabrics. You can use thermal imaging to detect early signs of condensation and save your building from extensive issues.
The technology detects areas of poor airflow and the source of dampness by spotting inconsistent heating and poor ventilation in your building. The air temperature in your building will highly impact the amount of condensation that forms. It’s crucial to employ thermal imaging techniques any time you suspect poor airflow, or when you want to know the source of dampness in your building.
Commercial buildings are complex structures that require careful maintenance to ensure the safety of their occupants. The envelope of a commercial building can be difficult to inspect, as it is often difficult to see problems through the reflective and absorptive properties of glass windows and other materials. Moisture in the walls or air leaks around window frames may not be apparent in a commercial building. Thermal imaging cameras can detect these hidden problems by detecting temperature changes.
