Don't spend a dime white paper in pdf 1-1

Don't Spend a Dime
On Infrared Thermal Imaging
Until You Know What You're Getting

Origin . . .
A Brief History of Thermography
Thermography, also known as Infrared Thermal Imaging is relatively new
to the public sector. This technology dates back to the 1950's, and was
used by the military for detecting targets through the use of infrared
thermal imagers. These 'cameras' produced 'night vision' which could
pick up the heat signatures (temperatures) of a target in the dark that
was invisible to the human eye.

Fast forward sixty years, and you are seeing Infrared Thermal Imaging
'cameras' being used all around you in your everyday life:

1) Medical Field uses digital infrared for breast exams.
2) TV Weather Man uses infrared maps showing rain locations
3) Auto Makers like BMW offer infrared night vision options
4) Airports used it to locate travelers with the Swine Flu.

INFRAVISION LLC www.infravisionllc.com 170 WATER ST MILFORD, MI 48381 (888) 954.1115

5) Building Industry: found many uses including finding missing
insulation, drafts, leak detection, find water leaks in a roof, broken
pipes in walls, overheating equipment (before it reaches failure),
and mapping hidden moisture in structures that can cause
destruction of buildings -from the inside out- as well as health
issues such as MOLD

How Does It Work?
Thermography is the act of using
Infrared thermal
a high-tech infrared thermal
imagers can 'see'
imager (camera) to
the infrared rays
photographically portray the
(heat) that the
surface temperature of an object.
human eye cannot.
HUH? Okay, I'll explain.
Science 101: Everything on
earth radiates energy. Even an
ice cube. but, we can't see the
actual energy that is being
radiated.
A glass of HOT water with ICE added
Think about it like this. You are at the beach, and you are getting
sunburned. You FEEL the heat of the sun on your shoulders. But, since
the infrared spectrum is invisible to the human eye, you can't SEE the
heat, Infrared thermal imaging cameras work because they 'see' the
radiation that our eyes cannot.
They take (2) 'pictures' simultaneously. ne is a visual image like you cell
phone camera takes. The other is called a thermogram. Think of it as a
page out of your kid's coloring book – but, MINUS the outlines it originally
had – JUST THE COLORS.
Let's say that your are looking for a hard-to-find water leak from a broken
pipe in the ceiling. When you look in the viewfinder of a thermal imager,
the image you see is a collection of colors that represent different
surface temperatures:.
1) the WARMER COLORS represent the warm temperatures of
your drywall that is registering 72 degrees because your furnace
is on, and this particular area of the ceiling is still DRY
(unaffected)) by the leak.
2) the COOLER COLORS represent the cooler temperatures
of building materials (like your drywall ceiling and the insulation
behind it) that have become cooler due to the (56 degree)
temperature of the water, and the evaporative process.


Seeing Is Believing

No more expensive Some Infrared Thermal
guesswork and Imaging companies have
educated guesses invested in special
from contractors. software that enables
them to make a custom
report. This gives you
hard-copy evidence of
what your issues are –
whether you are doing an
infrared survey to find
missing insulation, water
leaks in walls that can
lead to MOLD, or even electrical hotspots is walls (or your electrical
panel) before they become expensive, destructive, dangerous, or begin
to threaten your health.

Infrared thermal imagers allow you to 'SEE' root causes and the (hidden)
location) of issues that were invisible to your eye,
That is powerful! Now you are empowered to accurately asses the
LOCATION, the EXTENT, and the CAUSE of your issues.
No more costly guesswork and 'educated guesses' of contractors.

Who Do You Call ?

If you're sick, you go to the doctor. If you need heart surgery, you look
for a specialist. Maybe you interview a few. Then, you choose one that
has the experience and is up on all of the latest procedures and
technology to ensure your success.

Ditto for thermographers. Infrared thermal imaging has fast become the
Gold Standard for inspections in the Building Industry – and the word is
spreading.

For that reason, lots of newcomers are jumping on the bandwagon –
looking to make a buck. These instant 'experts' are not equally qualified
or equipped to ensure that you are successful in finding (and resolving)
the hidden issues in your structure that you are looking for. Bottom line,
you need guidelines on how to determine who is the right one for YOU.


HERE ARE THE “5 RULES TO SUCCESS”

Certification

RULE #1:

In any industry, CERTIFIED THERMOGRAPHER.
there are 2 kinds of Do NOT entrust your home or business
companies: those structure to anyone without the training
who 'play checkers' to be a Certified Thermographer.
and those who
'play chess.'' Go You would never think of going to your
with the one that Chiropractor for an elective surgery.
plays chess! And, you shouldn't rely on handyman
with a camera and a caulk gun to solve
your complex roof leak issues.

Structures today are a complicated
combination of interconnected, interdependent systems that make up
the 'whole.' When you ''mess with” one facet of the structure you are
affecting the entirety. Spend a little more for the right guy today – and
you'll spend a lot less on Aspirin for the headaches coming tomorrow.

Experience

RULE #2:

QUALIFICATIONS
Don't reach for a hammer when you need
a screwdriver. No matter how nice it is.

You need the right 'tool for the job.' Find a
Thermogapher whose past WORK EXPERIENCE has built a good
translates into a fine foundation for the Building
Performance Inspection you are asking for.

If the career highlights in his Resume turn out to be teaching Tae-Bo
exercises, or working in the Circus he's probably a better (more
interesting) candidate for being a dinner guest than your contractor.

All kidding aside, find someone with a foundation of experience and


knowledge that will make him serve him well when you entrust him with
the inspection of your structure.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

1) UNDERSTANDING OF BUILDING SCIENCE
2) DECADES OF FIELD EXPERIENCE / CONSTRUCTION
3) WENT TO SCHOOL / GOT LICENSED (as a builder etc)
4) BUILDING ENVELOPE EXPERTISE

These are all good skill-sets and valuable experiences that will translate
into a better Infrared Inspection and the ability to articulate the findings.
Remember, anyone can buy a camera. But, you can't buy experience.

Type of Equipment

RULE #3:

Infrared thermal DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK.
imaging cameras
are NOT all the You'd never hire your Wedding
same. Photographer without checking out his
work and his EQUIPMENT. You would
It's like buying a never put up with someone using his
flat panel TV. cell phone to do your Wedding video.
High quality This is no different.
units have better
resolution. That Do not be misled.
superior
resolution equals ALL INFRARED THERMAL IMAGING CAMERAS ARE NOT THE SAME.
BETTER DATA. The vast majority of Infrared cameras bought by thermographers are at
That translates the entry level - ranging from under $2,000 to $7000 . They don't want to
into MORE 'spend too much' in case things don't work out.
ACCURATE
INFORMATION THERMOGRAPHERS SETTLING FOR A LOWER PRICE CAMERA
for litigation or results in inferior images – and that becomes YOUR problem. “Fuzzy
defining the scope images – or, worse yet, missing small temperature differences and minor
of repairs. nuances altogether - results in inferior data collection.

WHY SHOULD YOU SETTLE, TOO ?

Better Tools Yield Better Results. It's like buying a flat-panel TV. If you
want a true HD viewing experience, be prepared to shell out some more
money for more Pixels. You'll be glad you did.


When a Business invests $20,000 or more in their Infrared Thermal
Imaging it tells you that they take their business seriously, and that they
are striving to give you the best service that can be had.

THE DIFFERENCE IS CLEAR - and, it's YOU are the beneficiary.

1. BETTER RESOLUTION. (crisper images clearly identify issues)
2. BETTER DATA COLLECTION (more accurate information)
3. BETTER REPORTS (for Hard-Copy Evidence / and repairs)
4. INFRARED VIDEO DOCUMENTATION (easier to understand)

Don't Stop There
No one goes to the doctor to get a HALF OF A DIAGNOSIS ?
In fact, if the initial physical exam doesn't find anything – he may suggest
taking X-Rays or an MRI. If you still aren't getting to the bottom of the
problem, he may want to do a Biopsy to see what's going on inside.

Thermography is no different. Initially, a Physical Inspection ( Visual
Inspection ) is performed by using a trained eye and Building Science.

Next, a non-invasive, Infrared Scan is performed to enable you to 'see'
things otherwise invisible to the human eye without being destructive.

Some cases require another layer of testing. Forensic Building Defect
Diagnosis is performed as a more Invasive Test called Destructive
Testing. Similar to our example of a doctor doing a site-specific
Biopsy, this targeted invasive inspection 'opens up' the suspect area
identified in the scan, and reveals what is going on below the surface.

So, make sure your thermographer is experienced & fully equipped to
finish the job (give a diagnosis) – he's not just a 'point & shoot' guy . . .

Full Service
RULE #4

IS HE EQUIPPED TO DO IT ALL?

Every inspection starts out being
non-invasive. Many need to expand
into a deeper investigation requiring another level of knowledge,
equipment, and methods to ensure
that you capture the results that you
deserve. Consider the following:


DESTRUCTIVE TESTING (DT) is sometimes necessary to get to the
solutions that you are looking for.

We're NOT talking about demolition here.

(DT) is a carefully executed , minimally invasive FORENSIC method to
gather information without randomly and destructively removing massive
amounts of building materials or wall coverings.

BORESCOPES are a tool for inspection
professionals that allows them
to look inside of walls, floors, or building
envelopes after a very small hole
is bored to facilitate access of this 'snake
camera.'

Images and even VIDEO can be seen in
REAL-TIME of the inspected
area on the viewfinder of the borescope.

SPRAY RACKS and calibrated Spray
Guns are often needed to re-create
a 'water event' ( an EXTERNAL water
leak or water intrusion into your
structure) by doing a 'SPRAY TEST'.

Leak Detection Professionals find
these SPRAY RACKS Indispensable
because they eliminate our relying on
' Mother Nature' to return at our
convenience. In short, the SAVE
MONEY, TIME, and MESSES (due
to eliminating unnecessary demo)

SPRAY RACK WATER TEST INSPECTIONS help you find issues
PROACTIVELY – So, you save your structure, the contents, and the
occupants HEALTH from harmful, moisture-related issues like MOLD.


HYGROMETERS are an essential tool
to the professional Thermographer
Don't settle for a because they perform an important
1-TRICK PONY ! role in the CONFIRMATION of
Find yourself a anomalies that the Infrared Thermal
Thermographer Imaging Camera 'sees.'
that has invested
in continuing Is the 'cold' thermal pattern that is seen
education – and is merely cold (air) infiltration? Or, is it
well-versed in truly the cooler temperature of water
several areas. behind the wall? The hygrometer can
read the actual moisture content of the
material that shows a particular
thermal signature.

It is also an important tool in the Professional Thermographer's 'toolbox'
for dong MOISTURE MAPPING. As you know, latent moisture in a
structure can be a precursor to MOLD.

1) The Thermographer uses the Infrared Thermal Imager to scan
large areas quickly - identify thermal signatures along the way.
2) HYGROMETERS can then measure the moisture content as he
'maps' these areas (saving hours of time) and determines if
the pattern (and moisture content) is heaviest in one area – and
what the DIRECTION of the moisture is (which leads to causation)

'One-Stop Shopping'

RULE #5

DON'T SETTLE FOR A 1-TRICK PONY

Find thermographers who keep investing
in continuing education. They are up on
the latest techniques, and have become
'fluent' in many different disciplines using
Infrared thermal imaging.

There is a lot of value in working with one party for all of your needs
versus having to hire and coordinate 2 or 3 different thermographers
when a project takes a turn – and new issues arise.


AN EXPERT IS ABLE TO HELP YOU IN THESE AREAS:

ENERGY INSPECTIONS
Infrared Thermal Imaging is a great tool to
identify areas of of heat loss and causation
of excessive cooling bills.

An expert can even use his high-end
infrared camera to do INFRARED VIDEO
to SHOW YOU DRAFTS in real time.

LEAK DETECTION
Infrared Thermal Imaging has become the
gold standard for professionals that do
do leak detection. No more guesswork-
and no more needless, costly Demolition.

MOLD INSPECTIONS
It's no secret that latent moisture in a
structure can be a precursor to mold.
Left unchecked, it can cause structural
damage to a building, damage contents
and be harmful to those living inside.

By utilizing Hygrometers for moisture-
mapping techniques; scanning for hidden
moisture with infrared thermal imaging cameras; and collecting readings
from a certified mold inspector's equipment; issues like toxic mold are –
not only identified – but, traced to their source and causation.


HVAC INSPECTIONS
Hotels, Hospitals, Schools, and Government
buildings have enormous amounts of duct-
work that carries the conditioned air through-
out the building. The Depart of Energy says
that up to 30 PERCENT IS WASTED due to
leaky ducts. Periodic Infrared Scans help you
to 'see' what's happening, make repairs and
harness savings that more than pay for them.

ELECTRICAL INSPECTIONS
Hotels , Hospitals, Schools, and Lumber-
Mills are but a few of the buildings that are
REQUIRED TO HAVE INFRARED SCANS
on their electrical distribution panels by their
insurance company. Millions of dollars are
saved annually because you are able to
CATCH DANGEROUS ISSUES EARLY that
could lead to fires (applies to commercial buildings and residences too)

PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE
PdM or Condition-Based maintenance saves
you money by monitoring your equipment
for issues that cannot be seen by the human
eye. By catching anomalies early, one can
prevent the overheating of motors and pumps
that leads to failure, unscheduled shut-downs
loss of revenue and the potential loss of
collateral damage caused by fires.


R&D THERMOGRAPHY
Engineering companies that specialize in
R&D don't normally own a high-quality
thermal imager. An R&D session can be set
up onsite (at their facility) to utilize the
thermographer's technology to capture
anomalies, data and document issues
in Real Time. The smallest of temperature
differences would have been difficult to
uncover – and may have been missed
altogether (image to right is a heated seat)

The Bottom Line

Summary

DON'T BE FOOLED BY LOW-BALL PRICING

It will only lead to disappointment. Don't let some
rookie 'practice' on your home or workspace.

Not all Thermographers are equally qualified.

Do your homework !

Be Sure To Look for:

1) Areas of Expertise
2) Years of Experience
' 3) Quality of Equipment Used
4) Certification & Licensing
5) Referrals & Testimonials

Most of all, don't forget the “5 RULES” OF SUCCESS on the
preceding pages of your free E-Book, “Don't Spend A Dime On
Infrared Thermal Imaging Until You Know What You're Getting”


FINALLY:

Ask For a FREE CONSULATION BEFORE You Hire Anyone.

Follow these guidelines, and you will ensure that you are getting the
energy-efficient, safe, structurally-sound, and healthy living-space or
workspace that you deserve.

1.

INFRAVISION LLC
Call the Pros:
(888) 954.1115
www.infravisionllc.com

We 'Get The Picture'

USGBC Green Certified
Certified Thermographers
Family-Owned for Over 30 Years
A-Plus Better Business Bureau Rating
Michigan Builders Dating back to 1978

Nominee: 2011 Michigan Green Leaders Award

Web: www.infravisionllc.com
Email: jacktarry@infravisionllc.com


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