Infrared Services
The specialized equipment we use to perform our Infrared Services use the science of Thermography. The meaning of the word Thermography is "writing with heat", just as Photography means "writing with light." The picture that is generated is called a thermogram or thermal image.
Infrared Thermography is the process of acquisition and analysis of thermal information from non-contact thermal imaging devices. Basically, an infrared camera is able to measure the infrared energy emitted from an object and turns this into a visual image that humans can see with visible light. Thermal or infrared energy is light that is not visible because its wavelength is too long to be detected by the human eye. It is part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we perceive as heat. Unlike visible light, in the infrared world, everything with a temperature above Absolute Zero emits heat. Absolute Zero is one degree on the Kelvin Scale or 459.67°F below zero. Even an object that is -450°F emits heat!
Thermography is not night vision. Night vision goggles amplify small amounts of visible light thousands of times so objects can be seen at night. Thermal imaging works by detecting heat energy being radiated by objects and requires absolutely no visible light.
Most of us have heard of the electromagnetic spectrum. These include Gamma, X-rays, UV, Infrared, Microwaves, TV & FM and AM. Most people think of this spectrum in frequencies. Thermographers think in wavelengths. There are two wavelength bands commonly used for commercial infrared cameras, 3-5µm and 8-12µm. Infrared cameras can detect only "in band" infrared radiation. A midwave camera detects 3-5 micrometers and a longwave detects 8-12 micrometers. These wavebands are selected because it is within these regions that the atmosphere acts as a window and allows the transmission of infrared radiation.
Saving Energy... Everyone wants to save energy, but most people don't know where to start. By now, most of us have heard of the advantages of solar and wind power. However, the installation costs are exorbitant and you may not see a return on your investment for a decade.
The most cost effective way to save on energy costs is to make your home or building more energy efficient. The single biggest energy expense in Florida is air conditioning. Don't take my word for it, just compare your January electric bill to your July electric bill and you'll see what I mean. Making your home or building more energy efficient will allow you to use less energy and therefore save you money.
Here is a good example. Your air conditioning system is trying to fill your house with conditioned air like you try to inflate a child's balloon. When the balloon is air tight, it's easy to inflate. However, have you ever tried to blow up a balloon with a hole in it? That's what you are asking you're A/C unit to do. You're air conditioner is struggling to inflate a balloon (your house), but there are lots of holes in it. No wonder your power bill is so high!
At Pelican Property Inspections, we find the holes in your balloon. Through the use of an infrared camera and a blower door, we find the areas where your energy is escaping. We document and save these images. We then provide you with a report that demonstrates where the holes are in your house. These holes may be in the form of missing insulation in ceilings and walls, openings around doors, electrical outlets, light fixtures and numerous other areas.
Once you address these areas of energy loss, you can sit back, relax and start saving money. At Pelican Property inspections, we are committed to saving energy and the environment, one house at a time!
Whether you have 250,000 SF of warehouse or 20,000 SF of office space, a roof leak is a roof leak. A phone call from a tenant, employee or manager, will strike fear in the heart of everyone. Is it major or minor? Can it be repaired, or do we need a new roof? Water that is dripping from the ceiling onto a desk in Class A office space, onto finished products in a warehouse or into electrical equipment in a manufacturing facility is a major concern to all parties.
Talking to our clients, we hear the different scenarios regarding roofing contractors. Many times, they have a good relationship with a roofer that is doing everything they can do to find the leakage. Other times we hear that our client has gone through six roofers in two years. The majority of the time, all of the roofers are acting in good faith. They just can't find the leak.
That's where we come in. A Pelican Property Inspections Roof Scan is an independent evaluation of your roof. You may need a new roof covering or you may just need a minor repair. We are independent consultants. We will gladly work in unison with your roofing contractor, roof consultant and facility management staff to find the leak.
Once we have completed our infrared evaluation, we will provide you a written report with the infrared and digital images of the areas of leakage. Our evaluation is an unbiased and honest opinion of the condition of the roof covering.
One of the best uses of Thermography in Florida is moisture detection.
Water is the most destructive force in nature. It can also be the most elusive when it comes to finding the source. Water seems to defy gravity. Actually, water can defy gravity over short distances with the help of wind and capillary action.
Moisture penetration is a common headache for a Condominium Association, building owner, management company or homeowner.
Where is the moisture coming from? Is it coming from the roof, windows, plumbing, exterior walls, floor slab, adjacent condominium or office or from the HVAC system.
An infrared scan can detect the moisture and can help pinpoint the source. Areas of the wall or ceiling that are dry to the naked eye can be revealed as wet when viewed through an infrared camera.
What are the advantages of an infrared moisture scan?
- The area covered in the scan is much larger and can be covered faster than with conventional moisture meters.
- Moisture meters can give a false positive if metal is present below the surface. Metal drywall corners, screws and nails can give false readings.
- An infrared image will show the extent of the area that is wet. The moisture can be tracked to the source in many cases.
- High ceilings make the use of moisture meters difficult. Ladders or scaffolding must be used. An infrared camera is ideal for use on high ceilings.
- An infrared image can be printed and emailed to all parties involved. The presence and extent of the moisture can be proven to skeptical parties.
- An infrared scan can help make the repair more precise. Only the affected areas need repair. This lowers the cost of repair and inconvenience to the building occupant.
- New buildings and homes can be scanned for the developer, contractor or owner. This scan can prove to the buyer or occupant that the structure was moisture free upon transfer of ownership or occupancy. Any moisture penetration that is discovered after possession, was not present when the property was transferred or sold.
- Unlike a contractor or restoration company, we have no interest in exaggerating the severity of a problem or increasing the scope of the repair. We are independent and unbiased.
Infrared Thermography can be used to locate grout that has been poured into block or concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls. Opening up holes or drilling into a block wall is common on a construction site. This is performed to evaluate and determine if the cells, bond beams or other structural components have been filled with grout. Infrared Thermography makes this destructive practice unnecessary. Statistically, if you measure the diameter of a hammer or drill head and compare it to the size of the wall, your sample size is so small that the test is inconclusive. Now you are left with an inclusive test and holes in your wall! Let's assume you guessed correctly and drill into an area with no grout. Congratulations, now where is the blockage?
An infrared scan is the best practice for determining the placement of grout in a CMU wall. This scan is non-destructive, inexpensive and accurate.
What are the benefits of a CMU Infrared Scan?
- You have a documented record of the structural components and cells
- If discrepancies are noted, the areas needing repair are easy to pinpoint and correct. An additional scan can confirm these repairs.
- Reduces the liability of all parties to the process. If the wall or structural elements fail (act of god, impact, etc.), a forensic examination of the damage may reveal issues that could have been discovered by an infrared scan. The masonry contractor, general contractor, professional engineer, architect, building owner and developer will be held accountable.
- Most projects use the lowest bidder. An infrared scan is a prudent investment to insure that your low bidder is performing the work as specified. If the low bidder knows the wall is to be scanned, they will have to build to the specifications or face the cost of repair and loss of schedule.
Heat is the enemy of all electrical equipment. Usually, before an electrical component burns up or fails, it heats up. Excessive heat relative to the other components in the system is a warning sign. It's the electrical components way of indicating that there is a problem. This excessive resistance on electrical components can indicate electrical faults such as loose connections, overloading or imbalanced circuits, damaged switches, faulty breakers and wide range of other problematic electrical conditions.
Infrared Thermography is ideally suited to detect this excess heat/resistance so that the issue can be indentified and maintenance personnel can address the problem before the component fails. This early intervention prevents costly down time and loss in production. It is always less expensive to repair the equipment rather than replace it when it fails.
Who benefits from an Electrical Infrared Scan?
- Facility Engineers and Maintenance Managers
- Building Owners and Property Managers
- Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers
- Architects and Contractors
What types of facilities benefit from an Electrical Infrared Scan?
- Manufacturing Facilities
- Office Buildings
- Universities and Schools
- Hospitals
- Hotels
- Retails Centers and Malls
Five nines. It does not mean anything to the average person on the street. However, to someone that works in a data center, it's your very reason for existence. It's what you think about when you first wake up and what you think about just before you go to sleep. Your enemy is down time and being up 99.999% of the time is your goal. At Pelican Property Inspections, our goal is to help you be at five nines.
In a "mission critical" facility, a loss of power could cause you to lose clients and a significant amount of money. Your switchgear, UPS, ATS, server systems and cooling systems should be evaluated with infrared thermography on a routine basis to insure maximum reliability.
We evaluate:
- Dual power technology
- Battery Back Up systems
- Uniform cooling of all servers, storage and computer equipment
- Main power supply
- Mechanical systems
We compile a full report and data log with the thermal images of all the equipment. You now know which areas need repair immediately or need to be monitored. We will update this log during subsequent thermal evaluations. By comparing these periodic evaluations, we can help determine which components are failing over time. It's much more cost effective to be able to schedule when these components need to be replaced or repaired, rather than in a code red panic when they fail!
Excess resistance is usually what causes failures in electrical components and excess friction is what usually causes failures in mechanical devises. Predictive maintenance differs from preventive maintenance by basing the needs on the actual equipment, rather than a time schedule. Preventive maintenance is time based, like changing a lubricant every month. Predictive maintenance is performed to detect the onset of degradation in the equipment and address the problems as they are discovered.
Predictive maintenance, also known as failure prevention engineering, is common practice in most industries. Infrared Thermography has been added to vibration analysis, oil analysis, acoustic emission and magnetic analysis as a part of a successful predictive maintenance program.
As noted above, heat is the enemy of any mechanical equipment or electrical component. Before a mechanical component fails, it heats up. Thermography can detect this excess heat so that maintenance personnel can evaluate and correct the problem before the component fails and causes damage to the equipment, creates a safety hazard and/or causes downtime in production. Through an infrared predictive maintenance program, we are able to trend temperature variations that can indicate a thermal anomaly with the equipment. The issue can be addressed and unscheduled down time and catastrophic damage to the equipment can be averted.
Most of our clients know the advantages of a general predictive maintenance. These include increased equipment life, reduced breakdowns and down time, increased production and profit and energy savings.
What are some of the advantages of an infrared predictive maintenance program?
- No equipment down time or production interruption during the scan
- A thermal baseline is established to determine normal thermal operating procedures
- Machinery can be quickly evaluated in the event of a suspected problem
- Instant visual thermal information can be provided onsite
- Problems are immediately discovered and recorded.
What are some of the advantages of using Pelican Property Inspections for your program?
- You don't have to invest in unfamiliar, complex technology. Infrared Thermography requires countless hours of research and has a steep learning curve.
- Purchasing the equipment is expensive and must be upgraded at least semi-annually. The cameras don't wear out, but become obsolete as the technology increases. We make this semi-annual investment as a cost of doing business.
- Training and certification is the biggest advantage. This expense is many times more times the cost of the camera. Understanding the applications and limitations of the camera are paramount. A false interpretation of the image can be expensive. Missing a problem or fixing a problem that doesn't exist is costly, time consuming and counterproductive. Also, the cost to train and certify a staff thermographer is prohibitive. Employee turnover, vacation schedules and illness can interrupt or stop your infrared maintenance program.
With Pelican Property Inspections as your service contract provider, you enjoy the following advantages:
- Eliminate the need to purchase expensive equipment
- Eliminate the need to train and certify personnel
- Flexibility to increase or decrease your infrared preventative maintenance program as needed
- Service contracts tailored to your needs. These can be hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly
- Emergency on call staff 24/7/365
An infrared scan of your vessel can provide an accurate assessment of the structural and mechanical components. We perform thermal scans to supplement your marine survey when buying or selling. Many of our clients use a thermal scan to ensure their existing vessel is operating properly. This provides them an extra layer of safety and can help prevent a failure of a critical component when offshore or away from their home port.
Which areas of the boat are scanned?
- Hull and superstructure
- Detection of moisture and delamination
- Detection of Blisters, previous hidden repairs and structural damage
- Source of deck leaks
- Mast damage
- Cooler and fish boxes for proper insulation
- Mechanical systems
- Engine/Power Plant
- Cooling and exhaust systems
- Electrical systems
- AC/DC systems
- Shore power sources
What are the benefits of an infrared scan on a vessel?
- Assures electrical and mechanical systems are operating efficiently
- Validates repairs and work for warranties
- Confirms repairs have been completed
- Assessment of the hull's condition for defect or faults
- Locates water and moisture intrusion
- Pinpoints problems with power generation
- Appraisal and damage assessments
- Provides documentation for an insurance company
- Provides the buyer an inspection prior to purchase and infrared images for documentation which cannot be provided by a standard marine survey
- Allows a seller to document the vessels condition via infrared images
Who benefits from an infrared scan?
- Recreational boaters - both small crafts and yachts
- Commercial vessels - passenger vessels, fishing boats and shipping vessels.
- Marinas
- Shipping terminals
- Boat manufacturers
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info@pelicaninspections.com
Telephone: (727) 556-0542
Fax: (727) 572-5417
P.O. Box 55095
St. Petersburg, FL 33732