Thermal Imaging of Building Fabric (Thermography)
This is a non-destructive infrared testing method that produces a thermal image showing exactly where energy is being lost.
Heat loss through the walls and roof of a building leads to increased CO2 emissions largely caused by pollution related to burning of fossil fuels used for heating buildings. Infrared imaging can easily detect building abnormalities that result in energy losses. By repairing these areas energy can be saved.
UK and European regulations have now been tightened up so that not only must good insulation be designed and specified, but achievement of required performance and the quality of installation must be proved.
Thermography is an ideal method for indemnifying building defects to:
- Thatched / flat roof
- Under floor heating
- Building envelopes
- Detecting damp
- Thermal bridging
- Cavity wall breach
The degrading effect of moisture on building fabric performance is well known. Moisture in roofing insulation affects mechanical properties such as strength, and thermal properties, e.g. thermal resistance and heat capacity.
If the presence of moisture can be detected non-destructively, as can be done using infra thermography, the wet areas which have escaped visual detection can be identified and repaired, thus preventing further damage to the structure. A thermal image makes it simpler to see where insulation is missing or air is leaking in or out of a building. When used in conjunction with air tightness testing, blower door test, smoke test, it can provide comprehensive evidence of the full extent of energy loss, damage and repair cost.
Benefits
- Fast, non-invasive, safe
- Minimises the requirement for large scale destructive investigations.
- Improves quality assurance
- Can pin-point moisture of structural problems
- Can show and monitor heat loss from buildings (energy efficiency)
- Discover planning and construction failures
- Can quickly detect hot-spots and missing insulation
- Can dramatically reduce costs of repair by pin-pointing exact areas of concern
- It is not always necessary to access the property as most assessments can be carried out externally
Asset Managers who need to know the bottom line can be confident of our findings. Clients receive a full written report complete with photographs and interpretation of the thermogram along with recommended remedial action.
For more information contact us.
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