Infrared Thermography: A Guide to Detecting Heat Loss in Residential and Commercial Buildings

Maintaining a comfortable temperature in a building with poor insulation can be a challenge for building owners. Large family homes, for example, can lose heat quickly due to poor insulation and air leaks, especially in the winter. 24-hour operation buildings, like convenience stores and gas stations, can have high energy demands and poor insulation which can lead to heat loss. These issues are often difficult to identify for building owners, however, Infrared Thermography can help building owners identify these issues.

Infrared Thermography helps identify variations in temperature in different building elements including heat loss in walls and ceilings. It can also be used to identify moisture in building elements. Additionally, Infrared Thermography can help identify air infiltration.

What is Infrared Thermography?

 Infrared Thermography uses an infrared camera to detect surface temperature differences. It can help identify temperature patterns that may indicate hidden issues such as lack of or poorly installed insulation, air and moisture leaks. Infrared Thermography can also be used to help identify other defects.

For example, during an inspection in the winter, one wall may be a lot cooler than the others. This could mean that there is a large air leak in that wall, or that wall has no insulation. If there is an unusual temperature pattern near doors and windows, then it could mean that air is moving through the wall and that heat is escaping from the wall.

An infrared thermal image is a measurement of temperature. By itself, it does not show construction defects that lead to loss of heat. It helps the inspector to point out areas that may need additional evaluation.

Thermography Heat moves from a warmer area to a cooler area. During the winter, heat is lost from the building through the building envelope. This includes the roof, walls, windows, doors and foundation. This can occur due to poor building material installation or a lack of insulation.

These issues can be seen with thermography.

Finding Missing Insulation

The purpose of insulation is to stop the flow of heat through the building envelope. However, it can be missing entirely, or be compressed or installed poorly.

With thermography, these issues can be shown as large differences in temperature in walls and ceilings.

Finding Air Leaks

Air leaks can be found around window and door frames and other building envelope openings. These can be hard to locate, but can cause uncomfortable conditions in buildings and high energy usage.

Infrared imaging can detect temperature differences and assist in locating areas where air leaks are present. Other tests can assist in determining the location and extent of air leaks.

Roofs and Ceilings

Poor roof or attic insulation can allow heat to escape from a building. This can create moisture issues. Thermal imaging can be a tool to identify areas of concern.

Infrared Thermography can help identify many of the concerns the homeowner may have related to energy efficiency.

Thermal Imaging of Residential Spaces

Thermal imaging may help identify areas of air leaks and insulation concerns within a residential building.

Ceiling Insulation: Thermal imaging can help identify if there is inadequate ceiling insulation.

Moisture: Thermal imaging may help identify moisture issues.

Heating Systems: Thermal imaging can help identify heat loss and may help determine issues with the heating system.

Energy Efficiency: Thermal imaging can help identify air leaks and issues with insulation, and thus can help identify issues that may impact the energy efficiency of a building.

Let’s say that a homeowner notices that one of the bedrooms in their home is significantly colder than the rest. Before the homeowner spends a great deal of money to replace their heating system, it might be a good idea for them to get a thermal imaging evaluation to determine if the issue is perhaps with an exterior wall or some other issue.

Thermal imaging helps pinpoint the area of the issue and sometimes can help avoid unnecessary repair work.

What are the Benefits of Thermal Imaging on Commercial Buildings?

In general, larger buildings have a greater potential for issues. Compared to residential buildings, commercial buildings are larger and more complicated. Issues with large roof systems, large windows and large wall areas can lead to problems with a building’s energy performance. Thermal imaging can help determine the issues with a building’s energy performance.

Thermal imaging is also useful during routine, preventative building maintenance. Building managers can identify developing problems and address them before they spread to other areas of the building.

What Are The Advantages Of Thermal Imaging For Commercial Properties?

 Some benefits could include being able to locate defects and problems in a building in a better, more efficient manner, reducing energy loss, and utilizing less energy.

Large temperature differences between the outdoors and indoors can sometimes help find thermal bridges and issues regarding building insulation. Thermal bridges and problems with insulation can sometimes be seasonal, especially if the building is relatively new.

Depending on the building, acceptable conditions may not be available. Thermal images can change drastically depending on the time of day and recent heating and cooling cycles of the building.

Making the wrong interpretation of the images can lead to wrong conclusions. Similar thermal patterns can be caused by different problems.

Inspectors must take into consideration the effects of building operation, external conditions of the building and thermal differences on the building.

Why Would Someone Want To Hire A Professional For An Infrared Thermography Inspection?

Even though infrared cameras have become smaller, easier to use, and more widely available, understanding building science and interpreting data requires a lot of training and experience. Infrared thermal differences by themselves do not always represent issues. The same thermal patterns can be caused by a lot of different problems.

Sometimes it can be necessary to rely on further, traditional building inspections and/or other building tests to find the causes of the thermal patterns and problems.

Prospective clients interested in our inspection services are encouraged to contact us to have their questions answered and the inspection process explained to them. When a client describes the purpose of the inspection they are requesting, we have the opportunity to explain the limitations of the testing conditions and the areas of the building to be inspected.

An inspection report should describe the thermal patterns and state the conclusions of the inspector. The report should recommend follow-up inspections if necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can infrared thermography detect all sources of heat loss?

Infrared thermal imaging cameras identify temperature differences that may suggest building issues including heat loss. Other building issues may not show up on a thermal image and may require other testing and physical inspection.

Is infrared thermography harmful to walls and ceilings?

Infrared thermography does not make contact with walls and, therefore, cannot damage them in any way. Infrared thermography is a non-destructive evaluation technique and is usually the first step in an investigation.

Can thermal imaging reduce energy costs?

Thermal imaging may help discover opportunities to reduce energy costs by identifying areas that could benefit from insulation or air sealing. How much energy costs may be reduced will depend on what issues, if any, are discovered and fixed, and how the building is being used.

Is infrared thermography useful for both old and new buildings?

All types of buildings may have areas where insulation is incomplete, or have construction or moisture related issues. Inspection methods need to be adjusted to the condition of the building and its design.

What is your conclusion?

The advantage of infrared Thermography is the ability to identify thermal bridging in buildings and potential energy loss. During a regular building inspection, temperature differences may be observed, but they may not warrant additional interest and may be lost on the inspector. This technology adds interest and value to the assessment of a building or facility. It provides facility and property managers an opportunity to identify areas of interest.

Thermal imaging provides the opportunity to help determine areas of potential energy loss due to deficiencies in building insulation, roof and wall assemblies, windows and doors. It may also be able to assist in identifying other harder to find energy loss issues. It can be valuable when part of a comprehensive building evaluation and assessment if performed in the appropriate conditions and interpreted by a qualified individual.

Clients that have unexplained increasing energy usage and drafts may find a thermal building assessment to be a valuable first step to determining why.