Thermal Imaging In Action

A Leaking Bedroom Ceiling

The thermogram (left) clearly shows a leaking bedroom ceiling (visible, right). The leak was assumed by the owner to originate in an upstairs marble-paneled bathroom in the $3 million home. The estimated cost to rip out and replace the marble to access the plumbing was estimated at $80,000! Further IR investigation absolved the bathroom and traced the source of the leak to a clogged weep hole under the threshold of a door leading to an upstairs porch.

A Wet Wall After A Fire

The thermogram on the left shows water and moisture remaining from sprinklers that were activated during a fire that was knocked down about 11 hours earlier. Note how the IR thermography clearly identifies the wet areas in the insulation and building structure and on the floor by their relatively cooler temperatures.

A/C Unit Problem

A\C unit overheated and shut down after running for aproximately 30 min. After visual inspection from ground level maintenance was unable to pin-point trouble.

A decision was made to use infrared thermography to determine the reason for overheating.

After taking a thermal image of the A\C unit, it was determined that there was excessive heat build-up at the connection of the HI pressure line to the condenser. This in turn created excessive pressure in the compressor causing the overtemp switch to kick off. Visual inspection verified there was a crushed HI pressure tube at the condenser.

Repair: Evacuated A\C system and replaced HI pressure line from Condenser to Compressor, recharged system with 6.50 LBS of Freon 22.

Total Parts & Labor: $890

Interior Roof Survey

Interior infrared survey conducted during daytime hours reveals central area saturated with moisture and in need of immediate repair.

110 A Circuit Breaker

240V 110A breaker feeds LAN rooms.
Load Reading A=65 B=95 N=84
B phase exceeds 80% ampacity and temperature exceeds breaker rating.

Vinyl-Sided Apartmet House

The thermogram of this vinyl-sided 3-floor apartment house clearly shows the path of a serious leak from a washing machine on the third floor, which is completely hidden within the wall. The thermographer used FLIR’s Image Builder software to automatically "stitch" the three individual thermographs into one fully thermographic collage.