What To Know About Using Thermal Imaging To Detect HVAC Energy Loss

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Detecting areas where energy loss is occurring is perhaps the best way to lower the heating and cooling costs of a home or business. Thermal imaging is one of the best ways to accomplish this goal. If you would like to learn more about the role of thermal imaging in identifying HVAC losses, read on. This article will provide a helpful overview of this incredible technology.

Some Basic Information

Air leaks are responsible for the loss of approximately 1/3 of the energy that goes into heating and cooling a home. Historically, there weren't many ways of addressing this problem aside from physically trying to feel out where drafts were occurring. As you can imagine, this method is only effective at eliminating the most glaring sources of energy loss.

Fortunately, today it is possible to diagnose air leaks with a much greater degree of accuracy, thanks to the advent of thermal imaging technology. This technology uses infrared cameras to measure infrared radiation. In other words, you are able to view a color-coded image of the temperature gradients occurring inside of your home. This allows you to accurately identify not only air leaks, but also insulation voids, moisture penetration, and thermal bridges--all of which act to sap your home of its hot or cold air.

When To Do Thermal Imaging

When it comes to effectively thermal imaging a house, it is important to realize that the temperature outside plays a huge role. In relatively balmy weather, when the difference between the temperatures inside and outside of your home are fairly close, it will be much harder to detect areas of energy loss. That's because the thermal image will all be roughly the same color.

Thus it is best to inspect your home with an infrared camera during periods of more extreme weather, whether during the winter or the summer. The greater the gap between indoor and outdoor temperatures, the better results you will be able to get. Likewise, it is good to schedule the visit for the early morning, since this will reduce the blurring effect caused by the exterior of your home absorbing warmth from sunlight.

Start On The Outside

Beginning the inspection on the outside of your home is a good way to test whether conditions are appropriate for effective thermal imaging. The idea here is that you should be able to see vertical stripes along the walls and at the corners of your home. These correspond to the studs inside of the walls. Such studs allow a greater amount of heat to leak out than the insulation sitting adjacent to them. If you are unable to see the studs using your infrared camera, chances are the temperature outside is not drastic enough for proper thermal imaging.

Contact a company like Ronnie Ritchie Service Co Inc for more information.


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