Most people in America believe infrared technology to only exist in sci-fi movies or in secret military projects. What many people do not know is that infrared technology is increasingly prevalent in our society.

Infrared technology is relatively new, with the first practical applications for infrared technology coming in the forms of thermometers. With these infrared thermometers, objects that could not normally be measured could now be measured safely and accurately. This massive jump in technology quickly led to more breakthroughs, with missiles and cameras being increasingly reliant on this technology. “Infrared cameras record a frame-by-frame sequence of heat diffusion through the object, which is displayed on screen. Defects show up as deviations in the expected patterns for the material being tested”. Thus, infrared cameras have been used extensively by firefighters in seeing through smoke.

Because of infrared technology, countless people have been saved and millions of dollars in property have been preserved. In addition to these applications, infrared inspections have been used in energy audits, allowing companies to pinpoint inefficient areas of their buildings and increase their energy efficiency. Thermal infrared inspections allow for “non-contact temperature measurements,” which increase safety and ease of infrared building inspections. Thermal cameras aid in energy inspections by allowing disparities in temperature to be easily seen. While pressure and flow are “critical measurements, temperature is far and away number one” in reliability and accessibility. Thus, if you are concerned about your building’s energy efficiency or it’s carbon footprint, thermal imaging cameras are absolutely essential.

Energy inspections are extremely important in our modern society. With gas prices and electricity costs skyrocketing, who can afford to lose money on wasted energy? With thermal cameras, infrared building inspections and energy audits become simple and easy. Any noticeable defect in temperature pops up clearly on thermal cameras. The hotter an object is, the brighter it appears on the screen. Thus, “green audits” are made simple and easy, as regular people can pinpoint inefficient areas during a thermal imaging inspection. Thermal imaging inspection should be an integral part of every building’s maintenance, as even one errant pipe can increase costs dramatically.

Finally, thermal imaging inspections are a cheap and cost-effect preventative measure, as burst pipes are easily avoidable problems that can be prevented by a simple scan. Thermal infrared inspections can help save the environment as well. They are called “green audits” by many people because of their capacity to prevent energy loss and lower the overhead of many electrical bills. This not only helps the environment by lessening the stress on the air, but also on electrical grids and power lines. With America under heavy pressure from rising energy costs, thermal infrared inspection is a crucial component of any energy efficient plan. In fact, thermal infrared inspections are now being used in a wider variety of applications than ever before, from “steel mills, candy factories, and astronomy”. In America today, energy audits are a central part of any responsible energy efficiency program. By making sure crucial components of a building are working correctly, anybody can drastically increase their energy efficiency. If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint, start with an easy and efficient system. Using infrared technology has never been easier, and thermal cameras are the future for a brighter, greener America. With advancing breakthroughs everyday in the field of infrared technology, the time to invest in a new thermal imaging camera is now!

by Brian K.