Help! I'm Naked! Does Infrared Imaging Show Too Much?

A friend of mine recently sent me a news story that made me just shake my head. It discusses how the City of Boston had decided to use thermal imaging to check for heat loss in city homes. If you have ever been in Boston in the dead of winter, believe me when I say you want every little bit of heat to stay INSIDE! The city hoped to increase enrollment in energy efficient programs by being able to visually show residents where heat loss was occurring. Here's a link to the article.

Sadly, they were prevented. It seems that ignorance of how thermal imaging actually works (perhaps coupled with some of the fictional stories we see on TV) has prevented what could have been an amazing opportunity for the city to help improve on the lives of their citizens and keep them warmer.

Does thermal imaging work the way it does on TV? On TV, we see Jack Bauer and his cronies tracking heat images of criminals inside of buildings. Well...that's simply misleading.

IR cameras can see heat or hotspots in buildings (example if a building has a fire in one of its rooms). But an infrared camera simply can NOT be used to see through a wall. It can only see heat radiating from an exterior building wall. If you are inside of your house taking a shower and I'm standing outside with a camera, I can NOT see you. The technology we use simply doesn't work that way. (If it did, some teenage boy would have already invented an app for that!)

Rest assured that your privacy inside your home or office cannot be violated by a certified thermographer who is checking for hot spots within a building or who is checking for heat loss during an energy audit.


Interested in learning more? Call me at                                     803-328-2889                   and let’s talk!

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial  users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit http://www.irinfraredservices.com/ or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/infraredscans. We are proud to offer the very best thermography services in North Carolina and South Carolina!

Largest Single Cause of Financial Loss for Commercial Buildings

In my last blog, I wrote about ways to save money. Savvy building managers know that conducting thermal infrared surveys can substantially reduce your insurance costs.

CNA estimates that more than 30% of fire losses can be attributed to electrical failure. That's a HUGE number that can be largely preventable! (Check out their safety bulletin here: CNA Commercial Property )

They go on to point out that infrared testing can prevent loss due to electrical failure or fire for several reasons, including:

1. Reducing damage caused by over-torquing connections. Infrared can pinpoint which switchgear connections actually need tightening, preventing over-correction and early failure.
2. Detecting loose or corroded connections.
3. Identifying faulty connections.

Remember, electrical connections get hot before they fail - and infrared scanning is the best way to "see" what the naked eye can't. The investment in hiring a certified infrared thermographer is well worth the knowledge that you won't see hundreds of thousands of dollars go up in smoke!



Interested in learning more? Call me at                         803-328-2889             and let’s talk!

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial  users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit http://www.irinfraredservices.com/ or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/infraredscans. We are proud to offer the very best thermography services in North Carolina and South Carolina!

Risk Management: An Easy Way to Save on Commercial Insurance

As I sit here opening my bills for the month (why do they all hit at the same time?), I got to thinking about ways to save money. Many financial blogs are written about how to cut costs for the individual (no more daily latte's!), but very few talk about ways for companies to be more cost effective, especially in the areas where it is easy to cut costs, but not services.

An infrared electrical scan inspection is a risk management tool used by both large and small companies as part of an effective maintenance program for both the building and the systems within. Beyond the obvious (preventing electrical fires, preventing heat loss, identifying areas of possible mechanical failure), electrical scans are especially a cost-effective way to save money because most commercial insurers offer discounts for preventive maintenance programs that include infrared thermal inspections. Why? That's an easy one!

Annual inspections increase safety by identifying potential issues so they can be fixed before they cause problems. A fire caused by a faulty electrical system can be both costly and deadly - a system put into place to help prevent decreases the potential for disaster, resulting in less exposure for your commercial insurer.

And yes, that means lowered costs. If you already have an annual thermal inspection done as part of your maintenance, call your commercial insurer to make sure you are receiving a discount on your premiums. And if you don't, well call me. IR Infrared Services, Brian at your service! (803) 328-2889.

Interested in learning more? Call me at             803-328-2889       and let’s talk!

IR Infrared Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial  users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit http://www.irinfraredservices.com/ or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/infraredscans. We are proud to offer the very best thermography services in North Carolina and South Carolina!