Aerial Infrared Roof Moisture Surveys

Written by Gregory R. Stockton


Continued from page 1

Figure 2) On-roof IR image.

The next day,repparttar thermographer goes back onrepparttar 105907 roof(s) to take matching visual photographs ofrepparttar 105908 marked areas that contain subsurface moisture. The problem with on-roof infrared is that when one is standing onrepparttar 105909 roof, eye-level is at best six feet overrepparttar 105910 surface. Even withrepparttar 105911 best hand-held infrared camera available, there is virtually no way to get large areas (800 sq. ft. blobs or 100’ long striations) of moisture contamination onrepparttar 105912 screen in one infrared shot. Taking multiple shots is labor-intensive and makesrepparttar 105913 report confusing. When performing on-roof surveys, many times “you can’t seerepparttar 105914 forest forrepparttar 105915 trees.” Markingrepparttar 105916 roof is fairly easy, but it is very difficult/time-consuming to produce accurate drawings ofrepparttar 105917 wet areas from painted lines on a roof. Oftenrepparttar 105918 drawing supplied byrepparttar 105919 owner is outdated, incorrect or even non-existent.

AERIAL INFRARED ROOF SURVEYING

There is never a time when on-roof imagery is better than aerial imagery. Whilerepparttar 105920 best IR imagery of a roof is taken fromrepparttar 105921 air,repparttar 105922 same laws of physics apply to both aerial IR and on-roof IR…like a dry roof, low winds and no rain onrepparttar 105923 night ofrepparttar 105924 survey. Also,repparttar 105925 "window" whenrepparttar 105926 roof is radiating heat differently from wet and dry areas is longer with aerial infrared because slight nuances of temperatures over large areas are distinguishable. The high angle of view allowsrepparttar 105927 aerial thermographer to produce more usable imagery and therefore accurate CAD drawings. The cameras that are used for on-roof surveys are not of sufficient spatial resolution to obtain good imagery from flight altitudes of 1,200 – 1,500 feet aboverepparttar 105928 roof, so high-resolution, large format IR cameras (See Figure 3) are required.

Figure 3) Large format infrared imager, fixed-mounted in a light aircraft.

Oncerepparttar 105929 aircraft is over a building, very little time (five minutes per 200,000 square feet, about 25 minutes for two million square feet) is required to fly over making multiple passes. The imagery is recorded on digital videotape. Visual photographs are taken earlier inrepparttar 105930 day orrepparttar 105931 next day. After returning torepparttar 105932 office,repparttar 105933 photos are printed andrepparttar 105934 thermographs are saved onrepparttar 105935 computer. The raw video imagery, thermographs and photographs are used to make an edited videotape copy ofrepparttar 105936 passes overrepparttar 105937 building. Both visual and infrared images are used to dorepparttar 105938 analysis by overlayingrepparttar 105939 CAD drawing ofrepparttar 105940 roof ‘over’repparttar 105941 digitized photographs and thermographs. The drawings always need to be corrected, because rooftop equipment has been removed, moved or added sincerepparttar 105942 last update ofrepparttar 105943 drawings. Then, areas of suspected moisture contamination are drawn onrepparttar 105944 CAD file. The result is a report where visual, infrared and CAD components (printed and video) are well matched and lined-up. The report is given to a roof consultant who verifiesrepparttar 105945 wet insulation duringrepparttar 105946 day, while making other condition notes onrepparttar 105947 roof.

Fixed-wing aerial infrared imaging provides many advantages over on-roof infrared imaging:

·Access to multiple levels ofrepparttar 105948 roof is not a problem. ·High-angle, straight down infrared images lessen reflection problems. ·High-resolution images capture large areas at once, making report writing easier and less expensive to produce. ·Plan-view imaging allows for infrared images, visual images and AutoCAD drawings to be reconciled closely. As a result,repparttar 105949 report is clear, concise and easy to understand (See Figure 4a, 4b, 4c). ·Plan view imaging allows accurate marking of areas of suspect roof moisture contamination. ·The printed CAD drawings can be used onrepparttar 105950 roof to paint areas of moisture contamination directly onrepparttar 105951 roof (after verification), if desired.

Figure 4a) Photograph of a roof.

Figure 4b) Thermograph of a roof.

Figure 4c) Scaled CAD drawing of a roof.

·The aerial infrared thermographer can wait for a good night for imaging, surveying many roofs under good conditions. ·The trending of roof moisture becomes possible. ·An aircrew of two can easily survey many millions of square feet in a single night. ·Processingrepparttar 105952 data is done inrepparttar 105953 office, not onrepparttar 105954 roof. ·Report components can be purchased as needed. Aerial IR allowsrepparttar 105955 building owner to buy onlyrepparttar 105956 report he needs at that time.

The biggest advantage of aerial infrared is on roofs that arerepparttar 105957 most difficult to image from any distance or angle. Roofs that, for instance, have a lot of ballast, are covered with reflective coatings or for whatever reason are impossible to image while standing onrepparttar 105958 roof. With high-resolution, plan view aerial imagery, slight nuances of temperature can be seen from far enough away to actually seerepparttar 105959 pattern of heat and make a determination of whererepparttar 105960 problems are.

CONCLUSIONS

Every day millions of square feet of perfectly good roofing materials are disposed of in our landfills. Why? Because roofs are often replaced because know one knows where exactlyrepparttar 105961 roof is damaged until it is too late. If you want your roof to last, it must be regularly maintained by professionals. Infrared roof moisture surveying isrepparttar 105962 best method of non-destructive testing on roofs, and aerial infrared isrepparttar 105963 best platform for performing infrared roof moisture surveys. Improvements in IR cameras and flight methodology, aerial infrared thermography and aerial infrared reports are getting better and more useable everyday.



Author Biography Gregory R. Stockton is President of Stockton Infrared Thermographic Services, Inc.. (http://www.stocktoninfrared.com). Greg has twenty-five years experience in the construction industry, specializing in facilities construction, maintenance and energy-related technologies. He has performed infrared thermography since 1989 and has published fourteen white papers and numerous articles on infrared thermography.


Cordless Phones with up to 50 Mile Range now Available Online

Written by Mark Kawabe


Continued from page 1

“There are also several station-to-station models that enable companies to install a ‘virtual’ phone line to a remote location, without having to dig any wires or make any infrastructure changes. The phone signal is simply transmitted wirelessly from one location to another. There are companies and individuals using these systems now connecting buildings together that are 8 miles apart or more. It is these functions that makerepparttar Voyager line of long range cordless phones very attractive torepparttar 105906 end user. This is trulyrepparttar 105907 next generation of long range cordless phone technology and Telephone Magic is happy to once again be atrepparttar 105908 leading edge of telecom in this area.”

Telephone Magic Inc.’s website is considered one ofrepparttar 105909 strongest business phone equipment sources onrepparttar 105910 Internet. Telephone Magic sells business telecom products at wholesale prices, which allows dealers and end users alikerepparttar 105911 opportunity to save money onrepparttar 105912 cutting edge telecom products they require.

For Additional Information, Please Contact:

Mark Kawabe Email: sales@telephonemagic.com Website: http://www.telephonemagic.com

None


    <Back to Page 1
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use