IR Services

Energy auditors may use thermography—or infrared scanning—to detect thermal defects and air leakage in building envelopes.

How They Work

Thermography measures surface temperatures by using infrared video and still cameras. These tools see light that is in the heat spectrum. Images on the video or film record the temperature variations of the building's skin, ranging from white for warm regions to black for cooler areas. The resulting images help the thermographer determine whether insulation is needed. They also serve as a quality control tool, to ensure that insulation has been installed correctly.

A thermographic inspection is either an interior or exterior survey. Thermographic scans are also commonly used with a blower door test running. The blower door helps exaggerate air leaking through defects in the building shell. Such air leaks appear as black streaks in the infrared camera's viewfinder.

a. ISO 6781 (1983) Thermal Insulation Qualitative Detection of Thermal Irregularities in Building Envelopes Infrared Method First Edition.

b. ASTM C1060 (1990; R 2003) Standard Practice for Thermography Inspection of Insulation Installations in Envelope Cavities of Framed Buildings.