Thermal Video
Thermal Video High Resolution Infrared Thermal Imaging High Resolution Infrared Thermal Imaging... &nbs...
Thermal Video
High Resolution Infrared Thermal Imaging
High Resolution Infrared Thermal Imaging...
What is a HIGH RESOLUTION INFRARED THERMAL IMAGING camera? HIGH RESOLUTION – The highest pixel count (680x480) provides more information and clearer images than a lower resolution (80 x80). INFRARED (IR) is a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum of light than our eyes see. Infrared is just below visible light that our eyes see. Ultraviolet light, on the other hand, is the spectrum just above our perception. All surfaces emit and reflect infrared waves through the air. These waves travel through the lens of the camera which focuses them onto a sensory array called a microbolometer. The wave strength is measured by the sensory array and converted by a signal processor to a visible light value. Grayscale signals from all the pixels are converted to a TV signal forming a composite image. THERMAL IMAGING – the IR camera shows us surface radiation or temperature patterns. It does not see inside walls, that would be an x-ray. We are usually looking at the affects or images of evaporative water cooling like when drywall is wet and conductive thermal transfer like when insulation is missing. With our knowledge of building characteristics, construction materials and thermal transfer, we interpret these temperature patterns to produce a building performance diagnostic inspection report. The camera makes for a faster, more accurate damage assessment.
Things that inhibit or obscure this process are items with a low emissivity, products like shiny wallpaper, cove molding, glass, metal and tile which reflect like a mirror. When conditions are right, finding moisture intrusion is like shooting fish in a barrel. The best times for camera use are when temperatures are changing rapidly or things are in a steady state like the missing insulation in the middle of the afternoon or the water intrusion came from the rain the night before or when exterior ambient temperature is extreme and our HVAC system is operating just the opposite, it makes it easier to see heat loss/gain around windows and doors. First thing in the morning as the sun rises and warms the surface of walls/windows or later in the afternoon when the sun goes down and surfaces start to cool are great times to find things more subtle or in a transient state. The larger the thermal mass the slower the temperature change compared to other materials around it. Solid concrete downpours are very easy to see in a block wall.
Night vision goggles and video cameras with nightshot are not the same. Night vision simply amplifies a small amount of light. Infrared wavelengths we are concerned with do not pass through glass and those products do not have the processors to convert IR to visible light images.
What else is it good for you ask? It is excellent for identifying HVAC leaks or insulation issues inside and outside the home. We can also see each solid concrete downpours. Moisture intrusion detection however, is our main focus. For flat roofs, moisture entrapment can be isolated for repairs. In an EIFS home, moisture intrusion around building envelope penetrations. We have even found a sub slab plumbing leak and many window and roof leaks. We have even located multiple upstairs shower pan leaks from underneath! Often times we find more than we bargained for. One particular house we were called on to find the source of A leak. We found seven! Five of them were unrelated to the issue that generated the call! THIS IS THE FUTURE OF BUILDING INSPECTIONS.
Got questions, give me a call at 407.678.HOME or email me at jon@inspectagator.com. Please also visit our other web site, www.buyaware.net. If we all stick together, nobody gets burned!
About the Author
Besides being a landlord and investor, Jon, aka the Inspectagator, is a full time professional home inspector who has performed over five thousand home inspections since 1998 and now sets a vigorous pace as a market leader transforming the direction of Professional Home Inspections. As an ASHI member, FABI Registered Professional Inspector and ICC Residential Building Inspector, Jon is an invited speaker at radio stations, real estate offices and real estate investment clubs. He currently serves on the board for Central Florida Realty Investors.
Infrared (ir) Thermography, Thermal Imaging Cameras, and Thermal Video, are All Types of Forward Looking Infrared (flir) Imaging Technology
Infrared (IR) Thermography, thermal imaging cameras, and thermal video, are all types of infrared imaging technology. Thermo-graphic cameras detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (900?14,000 nanometers or 0.9?14 µm) and from that radiation produce images. According to the black body radiation law, objects above 0 Kelvin radiate infrared radiation.
With thermography it is possible to see one?s environment with or without visible illumination. Radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature. So, thermography allows one to see variations in those temperatures. When viewed through a thermographic camera, warm objects will stand out well against cooler backgrounds. Humans as well as animals stand out extremely well against their environment. This is why the basis of thermal imaging originates from security and military applications.
Thermal imaging has many construction related uses including electrical and high voltage maintenance applications and the location of overheating connections and parts, which is a sign of their failure. Where insulation becomes faulty, building envelope technicians can see thermal signatures that indicate heat or cold leaks. Roofing inspections can reveal roof failure areas that need to be replaced, saving tens of thousands of dollars in a complete roof replacement. Facilitation of these types of green energy repairs can lower the strain on any type of HVAC system as well as lower energy cost altogether. Higher thermally sensitive units can also even be used to detect termites, mold, and all sorts of unwanted pests. This makes infrared thermal imaging extremely useful to all forms of extermination companies.
The operation of a thermo-graphic camera is very similar to both a radar gun and a camera. This enables the user to see in the full infrared spectrum. Some models even have the ability to record the output. However, a recording module is not always built-in.
Most modern thermal imaging cameras make use of a CMOS focal plane array (FPA). The newest hand held imagers utilize low-cost and un-cooled microbolometers FPA sensors. With resolution around 160x120 and 320x240 pixels, they are considerably lower than that of optical cameras. Some of the more expensive models can offer up to 640 x 512. Although thermo-graphic imaging cameras are more expensive than their ?light only? counterparts, their cost over recent years has dropped considerably. This has made their use is the building inspection, maintenance, medical , and construction fields much more common place. Older, less rugged models requiring cryogenic cooling are now being replaced by portable, hand held, and cost effective models that are approaching the same thermal sensitivity.
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