What are Roof Inspections?
Benefits of Roof Inspections?
When to Schedule
Roof Inspections?
How do you Use a Thermal Camera for Roof Inspections?
Advantages of Using a Thermal Camera in Roof Inspections?
Advantages of Using
a Thermal Camera in Roof Inspections?
ADVANTAGES OF USING
A THERMAL CAMERA IN ROOF INSPECTIONS?
Without a doubt, a thermal camera is one powerful tool when conducting roof inspections. Wet areas that carry destructive moisture on a roof are easily made apparent using thermography. As these problem areas retain heat far longer than dry areas.
Below are distinct ways how using thermal cameras can draw you closer to a better roofing system in record time.
Unparalleled
Speed
The old method where you have to check for telltale signs of physical wear and tear to track the workings of moisture will take you days on end. Even after spending all that time you may miss a spot, or it develops after inspecting a section.
A thermal camera shows the user thermal signature instantly. Nonuniform heat spots indicate a problematic area which you can then double check with other tools or personally inspect. The accuracy and phenomenal speed that the camera operates means the job is done in a fraction of the time.
Noninvasive
Identification
It’s for this reason that for some time there roofers had to check things by tearing through the roof. A physically draining exercise. Not to mention time-consuming.
With a thermal camera, you can identify problem areas in matters of minutes. Without you having to physically witness the location with your bare eyes. That means specific areas on your flat roof where moisture has deteriorated the insulation and invaded the substrate can easily be identified. Such problem areas weaken your roof and hamper your living environment by negatively impacting your home’s total energy consumption.
Tremendous
Money-saver
Think about how much money will be drained off your savings when you have a roof or part of it replaced. That can certainly make you wish you hadn’t arrived at such a precipitous place.
An infrared moisture survey ensures you won’t have to be in such a bad place. That can translate to thousands of dollars saved. All because you made a decision to use a thermal camera to check your roof health with surgical precision.
Sources: http://www.bestroofing.net/blog/roofing-fatalities/
Roofing-Covering
Materials?
ROOFING-COVERING MATERIALS?
It is essential for a roof inspector to grasp the composition of the roof to be thermally inspected. Different roofing-covering materials affect the ability of an infrared device in detecting the presence of moisture.
Fortunately, it isn’t as long-and-winding as you may think. In general, most of those roofing materials used today won’t pose any glaring issues with thermal imaging technology. We’re talking about market-available:
ㆍComposite boards
ㆍRigid insulation boards
ㆍTapered materials (of the same materials above)
In essence the following roofing materials will register a fine reading when viewed under the lenses of a thermal imaging camera
ㆍCork
ㆍCellular glass
ㆍFiberglass
ㆍIsocyanurate
ㆍOrganic fibers
ㆍPolystyrene
ㆍPolyurethane
ㆍPhenolic insulation materials
On the other side, here are some instances which may not register easily “readable” images and are therefore candidates for a “poor” thermal imaging inspection:
ㆍInverted roof membrane assemblies that comes with an extruded polystyrene insulation placed between the protective membrane and the ballast
ㆍRoof built with concrete pavers
ㆍHighly-reflective metal roofs
ㆍRoofs built with gypsum or lightweight concrete
It is essential for a roof inspector to grasp the composition of the roof to be thermally inspected. Different roofing-covering materials affect the ability of an infrared device in detecting the presence of moisture.
Fortunately, it isn’t as long-and-winding as you may think. In general, most of those roofing materials used today won’t pose any glaring issues with thermal imaging technology. We’re talking about market-available:
Composite boards
Rigid insulation boards
Tapered materials (of the same materials above)
So, in essence the following roofing materials will register a ‘fine reading’ when viewed under the lenses of a thermal imaging camera:
Cork
Cellular glass
Fiberglass
Isocyanurate
Organic fibers
Polystyrene
Polyurethane
Phenolic insulation materials
On the other side, here are some instances which may not register easily “readable” images and are therefore candidates for a “poor” thermal imaging inspection:
Inverted roof membrane assemblies that comes with an extruded polystyrene insulation placed between the protective membrane and the ballast
Roof built with concrete pavers
Highly-reflective metal roofs
Roofs built with gypsum or lightweight concrete
