Water leakage and moisture penetration can cause significant damage to a home or building, and they are often difficult to detect until it is too late. It’s possible to identify water and moisture problems without resorting to destructive testing by using a thermal imaging camera and the right conditions. Humidity, condensation, pipe leakage, rain and snow are all sources of building moisture. A low level of moisture is usually good, but leaks or heavy condensation may be problematic.
With the help of thermography, you can easily detect water leakage in your residential or your commercial building. Below are a few areas where thermography works best in water leak detection.
Water Leakage
Thermal imaging cameras have a wide variety of uses when detecting water leakage. The benefit of using thermal imaging to detect leaks is that it saves money in the long run because it can easily provide an overview of an entire plumbing system thus eliminating the need to check each pipe individually. With the help of thermal cameras, you can easily find leaks in pumps, pipes, and valves.
Due to temperature anomalies, thermal imaging cameras can detect a small leak, however, the greater the temperature abnormality, the easier it is to identify major leaks as well. They are extremely effective at pinpointing the exact location of a leak without the need for drilling or excavation.
How thermal Imaging works for leak detecting?
Every object and surface emit varying amounts of heat energy in the form of infrared radiation, which is used in thermal imaging. In comparison to other objects in their environment, pipes carrying hot water emit a lot of infrared radiation. The heat energy emitted by coldwater pipes, on the other hand, is minimal. Infrared cameras that operate in the infrared light spectrum can detect infrared radiation.
The information gathered by the cameras is converted into a thermal picture that depicts minute variations in infrared emission. Water leaks cause the temperature of the region around them to drop or rise. It depends on the temperature variations inside and outside the building. This affects the area’s infrared emissivity, and thus a specific color on the imaging camera. By analyzing the thermal images, the technician will detect wet areas and will find out the exact location of the water leak.
Roof leaks
Finding flat roof leaks with a thermographic survey is a very efficient and accurate process. The surveys are done on the roof itself, with no disruption to the roof structure. Our surveyors will perform the survey to pinpoint the exact location of water inside the roof, allowing us to locate the source of the leak.
As water penetrates a roof structure, it is absorbed by the insulation layers, which may cause a leak inside the building that is far from the actual leak stage. Due to the damage and disruption to the activity of buildings, finding roof leaks like this can be extremely expensive.
Thermal imaging identifies heat retained by moisture in the roofing system, resulting in a difference in radiant heat loss after heat gain stops, allowing for moisture detection. The infrared imager can see that this moisture takes longer to cool than the rest of the roof structure. Real-time infrared cameras “see” the heat radiated from your roof surface and surrounding equipment. By detecting infrared heat produced by an object and converting it to visible light, the infrared imager detects heat patterns through surfaces. If a leak has developed, this can help you pinpoint where it’s occurring.
Water leakage into the foundation and basement
Most homeowners will have to deal with water entering their basement at some stage. The water around the building may indicate a problem with the structure, foundation, or drainage system. When you see stains and peeling paint on your walls or window then it indicates that there is water leakage in your basement. Water staining on walls or ceilings, as well as rust on exposed pipes in the basement, may suggest a leak inside your home from the plumbing or HVAC systems. If you have a finished basement, you may notice rotted or warped wood panelling, loose floor tiles, and mildew stains. The smell or feeling of dampness in the air is also one of the first things people note.
Water can seep in through cracks in the walls, clogged floor drains, or leaking plumbing lines. The key is to find the source before further harm is done. If you find any such evidence then it is the right time to call Thermo Elite Inc. for a thermographic inspection.
One of the most effective instruments for detecting the source of water is thermal imaging. An infrared camera with thermal imaging can provide a scan of the entire room in minutes, rather than looking for moisture inch by inch with a moisture meter. A thermal camera isn’t a moisture meter, because it doesn’t see moisture; instead, it measures temperature differences caused by evaporative moisture cooling the material’s surface. A distinct thermal pattern is formed, which can be seen in infrared images that the thermal camera catches. Rest assured our team is also equipped with the latest in moisture reading technology as well that we always have on-site for such jobs.
When the walls and surface of the basements are wet or damp they will absorb more heat from the surroundings where the temperature is warmer. This makes it easy for thermal cameras to find the thermal differences. Our experienced technician will then analyze the images to find out the water leakage source in that particular area. Infrared thermal inspections will detect any leaks in your basement before they seep into the foundation and threaten the structural integrity of your entire home.
Moisture Detection
Conducting a moisture test periodically is a great way to avoid mold or extensive damage from a leak. With the help of thermography, it is very easy to detect moisture in any building structure. Many times, moisture or water intrusion has been present for a long time before visible signs appear. At Thermo Elite Inc. we use thermal imaging and moisture meters to detect moisture issues before they become major problems that cause severe harm. Thermographic inspection for moisture detection has certain advantages and it is also a time saver.
When viewed through an infrared camera, thermal patterns produced by latent moisture become readily apparent, even when they are not visible to the naked eye. Thermal imaging cameras can easily see the temperature difference between wet spots and building materials. The thermal image can reveal water intrusion and excessive moisture inside walls, under floors, and above ceilings.
How does the process work?
To begin the process for thermal inspection we would first find out the area that is most at-risk for moisture intrusion. You can also choose the area that already has any visual evidence, such as staining, discoloration, or apparent wet spots. Once you find out the area, the next step is to scan it along with surrounding areas with the thermal imaging camera to locate the source of problems. By detecting the difference in temperature between a wet area and the surrounding dry areas thermal imaging can help detect moisture issues.
Reach us today
If you are living in or around Ottawa and looking for a thermographic inspection then you can reach us at 1-844-969-5150. You can also email us your queries at [email protected] for more information. Our thermographic inspection is not limited to water leak detection, we provide a wide range of thermographic services for Ottawa. Our prices are affordable and our service is second to none. For more details please contact us today!
