Proper thermal conductivity is one of the most important features that a building must have so as to maintain the desired temperature inside the building. Thermal performance of the building is one of the most important properties of the building.

There could be huge amount of heat losses due to the improper insulation and construction of the building. Thermography can determine the temperature variations to determine the affected areas so as to rectify the causes and improve the efficiency of the building.  There could be many kind of problems related to design, construction or maintenance of the building which could be easily identified through thermal imaging. Thus the infrared technology is used to find out the actual problem affecting the efficiency of the building and then to propose a solution accordingly.

There are several problems that can affect the building efficiency. The air leakage and the improper insulation cause excess use of the energy which leads to unwanted energy loss. Leaks in the walls and roofs could lead to moisture damage. Improper performance and placing of heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration system is also a problem to be considered. Leakages in pipes, ducts etc. also cause great deal of problem. Air leakage through the walls, joints, gaps etc. lead to unwanted heat transfer to the surrounding. This not only leads to energy loss but also causes condensation to take place on the surface of walls. Mold could grow rapidly if the moisture content is not maintained. This reduces the insulation and also degrades the material. This degradation of material reduces the strength of the building.

Digital thermographic camera is used to image thermal patterns which then allows the researcher to spot the thermal irregularities. This helps him to locate the affected areas and propose a solution. Thus digital thermographic cameras can be used to identify heat loss problems. It indicates the air infiltration, moisture buildup and other similar areas. These problems are usually unseen. The owner comes to know about the problem only after the damage has been done. Therefore a timely infrared thermal inspection is suggested to make you sure your building is efficient.

Proper infrared inspection allows you to find out per requisite solutions of the problems that may occur in the future. Exfiltration and infiltration of the air has to be carried out suitably to have the desired building performance. Therefore when the digital thermographic cameras are properly used by the experts who can identify the information passed by the thermal images, thermography can be used extensively in the area of building inspection. This allows the owner to be assured on the performance of the building.
   

by Ankit Tiwari

About the Author:

Mr, Tiwari is an Engineer

References:

http://www.infra-spection.co.uk/thermal_building_inspection.htm

http://www.sandiaprep.org/library/bib/bib.html http://www.iranalyzers.com/building-envelope.htm