MEP heat inspections with heat cameras
Inspecting MEP systems with heat cameras
When conducting thermographic survey, the emphasis is on the discovery of structural and insulation errors, that is: which is the most optimal way to keep heat energy inside the walls? However, the wide range of capabilities of the heat camera can be of great help when adjusting engineering systems and can ease quick localization of would-be errors.
Heating pipes - leak detection
Thermography as a diagnostic technique that requires no direct contact has become widely popular in building energetic inspection as well as in other fields of industry. We show you where and how heat cameras can be used in the building engineer's everyday life.
When inspecting heater systems, one of the most frequent measuring task is the exact detection of the leaking points of the pipe system. The two most important factors of leakage detection are time and disassembling work. The goal is to detect the failure as quickly and as exactly as possible and to carry out repair works with the fewest dismantling. With heat camera inspection critic points can be detected quickly, efficiently, and what is the most important: without dismantling. To detect a leakage, first the route of the pipe system needs to be tracked down. In the case of heat pipes it is an easy procedure; by using heat camera, the tracks can be immediately visualized, with manual color scale adjustment and switching, the center of the tubes can be also detected easily. In most of the case leakages appear on pipe joints and fittings, but can also occur on old or damaged (bored through) pipes. When tracking down the system, finding sections with higher temperature - so called hotspots - can be evidences of leakage. The revision of the whole system is necessary in all cases, because not every hotspot may refer to leakage, for example if the pipe is too close to the covering, it can warm up, and so the heat camera detects higher temperature. However, marks of leakage may be heat spots developed around the hotspot, which may indicate leaking and spreading of water. Inspection of heat piping is most effective while heating, because hotspots and their effects can be visualized quickly and straightforwardly. When inspecting cold water pipe leakages it is somewhat complicated to localize leaks with heat camera, because temperature differences are smaller. In such cases applying other devices can be helpful, for example material humidity meter, acoustic or gas leak-finders.