THERMAL IMAGING

USING INFRARED CAMERAS

TANEL PRANK

(01) HLC Home Inspections, 2008) (02) Cool Cosmos bio)

VIA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DENMARK

Bachelor of Architectural Technology

and Construction Management

Consultant Henrik Jean Blyt

Nov 2009
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Mr Toomas Rähmonen from Termopilt OÜ

(the company is active since 2004) and Mr Indrek Kasekamp from
Termoproff OÜ (the company is active since 2007). Both men are the
representatives of the mentioned companies in Estonia and are actively
working in the field of thermal infrared inspections. They were kind
enough to spare their time to have small interviews and share their
knowledge with me during summer 2009.
I am also very grateful to my teacher Henrik Jean Blyt, who
organised a meeting with a thermal imaging companys’ representative
in order to give me a possibility to see an infrared camera in real-life
action.

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

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TITLE PAGE

DISSERTATION TITLE: Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras

CONSULTANT: Henrik Jean Blyt

AUTHOR: Tanel Prank

DATE/SIGNATURE: Week 49

STUDENT IDENTITY NUMBER: 2005858

NUMBER OF COPIES: Three copies on paper and one copy on CD

NUMBER OF PAGES: 31

WRITING STYLE: Font 12 Verdana; line spacing 1,15

All rights reserved – no part of this publication may be

reproduced without the prior permission of the author.

NOTE: This dissertation was compiled as part of an Architectural

Technology and Construction Management degree course – no
responsibility is taken for any advice, instruction or conclusion
given within!

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

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SUMMARY

This report is about thermal infrared cameras and their usage on

the building industrys’ field. It gives an overview of the history of
thermal imaging equipment and explains the working principle of a
thermal imaging camera in simple terms. In addition, there is an
explanation of the nature of infrared radiation.
The report is mainly based on information found on various
websites (mentioned in the list of reference), but also on two inerviews
with representatives of comapanies dealing with termal imaging service
in Estonia. Moreover, there is some information of an experimental
measuring that took place on the VIA University Colleges’ property in
November 2009. The report is also enriched with colorful pictures and
charts.

KEYWORDS
 Absolute zero  Price of thermal imaging
 Advantages of equipment
thermography  Price of thermal imaging
 Colorful service
 Cooled infrared detectors  Radiation
 Digital camera  Resolution
 Disadvantages of  Selling or buying real
thermography estate
 ECOlab  Sir Frederick William
 Emissivity Herschel
 Fire fighting  Spectrum
 FLIR  Thermal imaging
 Focal lenght  Thermal imaging cameras
 Infrared  Thermography
 Invisible light  Uncooled infrared
 IR detectors
 Monochrome  Vietnam War
 NEC  Visible light
 Night vision  Wavelenght
 Passive house  Wolrd War Two
 Photograhpy

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

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INTRODUCTION

The subject of “Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras” was

chosen, because I wanted to link the investigations with everyday
photography, which happens to be one of my dearest hobbies. Before I
started collecting information about thermal infrared cameras and
technology, I knew more or less nothing of the subject, so this was a
completely dark field for me. Nevertheless, it was interesting to learn
and write about a totally new topic.
I am not plannig to work with thermal infrared cameras or
thermography in my future career. On the other hand, there is always a
possibility that I could share the research information and knowledge
accumulated at some point of my working career when a question
about it arises. I find the infrared technology to be a very necessary
component in todays’ building indurstry.
This dissertation gives an insight to the following subjects:
 Basic answer to the question: “What is infrared?”.
 Brief overview of the history of thermal imaging equipment.
 Difference between the first generation night vision
equipemnt and modern thermal imaging technology working
principles.
 How does a thermal imaging camera work?
 Brief introduction about the term “emissivity”.
 Difference between cooled and uncooled infrared cameras
 Approximate price range of thermal imaging equipment and
service in Estonia.
 What kind of constructional failures is a thermal imaging
camera able to detect?
 When should one consider hiring a thermal imaging
specialist?
 Things to be watchful about when choosing a company who
performs thermal imaging on your building.

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

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PROBLEM STATEMENT

The main objective for this dissertation is to give information

about thermal imaging and answer the questions: “What can thermal
infrared technology do for people wanting to erect a new building or
restaurate an old one?” and “How beneficial is to hire a professional to
take thermal pictures of your building?”. Many people might have heard
the word “infrared”, but they do not really know what it is. This piece of
writing gives an insight and a casual explanation to that matter as well.

METHODS

Material for this dissertation is primarily based on three types of

findings: two interviews in Estonia, measuring results in Horsens and
information found in the internet.

DELIMITATION

This dissertation does not cover:

 Terms “passive thermography” and “active thermography”.
 Price of the thermal imaging equipment and service in
Denmark.
 Scientific information about infrared waves’ physics.
 Scientific working pirnciples of thermal imaging equipment.

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................ 2
TITLE PAGE................................................................................. 3
SUMMARY ................................................................................... 4
KEYWORDS ................................................................................. 4
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 5
PROBLEM STATEMENT ................................................................ 6
METHODS ................................................................................... 6
DELIMITATION ........................................................................... 6
RESULTS AND FINDINGS ............................................................ 8
What is infrared? ........................................................................... 8
History of infrared ......................................................................... 9
History of invisible light detection equipment .................................. 10
Seeing in dark before the modern thermal imaging equipment .......... 10
Modern thermal imaging technology basic working principles ............ 11
Comparisson between a digital camera and infrared thermal camera . 13
Cooled and uncooled infrared cameras ........................................... 15
Price of the thermal imaging service .............................................. 17
Time, precision and trial measuring ............................................... 18
Who can perform thermal imaging? ............................................... 20
Emissivity ................................................................................... 22
Some advantages and disadvantages of thermography .................... 23
When to order a thermal infrared inspection? .................................. 24
SUMMARY OF THE WORKING PROCESS..................................... 26
Collecting information .................................................................. 26
CONCLUSION ............................................................................ 27
LIST OF REFERENCE ................................................................. 28

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RESULTS AND FINDINGS

What is infrared?

Most of the people who have an up to date picture of todays

world, have heard or read the word “infrared” or “IR” in one place or
another. Infrared technology is used in such everyday equipment as TV
remotes, computers and cellphones, just to bring out a few. Since many
people do not have an idea of the nature of infrared radiation, it would
not be a big surprise, when a person asked you: “Who invented
infrared?”. Of course the right answer to that would be: “It was not
invented – it has always excisted!”. The correct question would instead
be: “Who discovered the infrared
excistance?”.
“Infrared (IR) radiation is
electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength
is longer than that of visible light (400–700
nm), but shorter than that of terahertz
radiation (100 µm – 1 mm) and microwaves.
Infrared radiation spans more than three
orders of magnitude (roughly 700 nm to 300
µm).” (03) Wikipedia/Infrared)
The picture on the left side of this page
gives an idea what the technical definition
above is saying. In simple terms, every
object or body is radiating electromagnetic
waves, which have different wavelenghts. For
explanation of the wavelenght, see the sketch
on the bottom of the page.
The above mentioned interval of
wavelenghts is called infrared and is invisible
to human eye, as are the majority of other
wavelenghts, that
have been
discovered and
named by people.
The visible
wavelenghts are
in between 380 to
750 nm and are
(04) Imagine the Universe!) just under (05) The Free Dictionary)

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infrared. The visible wavelenghts are registered by human eyes as
colorful lights. (06) Wikipedia/Visible spectrum)

History of infrared

The first person to

discover lights invisible
to human eye was Sir
Frederick William
Herschel. He did it back (07) Cavendish Science)
in year the 1800. Herschel passed sunlight through a
glass prism to create a spectrum and measured the
(08) William temperatures of each color. He discovered, that the
Herschel) temperatures are rising when moving up on the
spectrum. “A spectrum contains all of the visible colors that make up
sunlight.” (09) Cool Cosmos) While measuring the temperatures of each
color, he found out that after the last visible color – red – the
temperature was
even higher. From
this knowledge he
concluded, that there
must be a light
invisible to human
eye. Since it was
placed after the red
color, he named it
infrared.
(02) Cool Cosmos bio)
The word
“infra” comes from
the Latin language
and means “below”. (10) MIVIM)
To explain, one could
say that the visible red color has the longest wavelenght (out of all
visible wavelenghts) meaning the smallest frequency - the frequency of
infrared is even lower, so it is below red.

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History of invisible light detection equipment

Originally the invisible light detection equipment was invented to

enable military forces to see in such light conditions, where it is nearly
impossible for the naked eye to distinguish a clear picture of a subject.
(11) Bullard)
“Current thermal imagers are based on technology that was
originally developed for the military. Thermal imaging technology
provides the ability to see and target opposing forces through the dark
of night or across a smoke-covered battleground. The properties that
have made infrared detection valuable to military services around the
world also make it valuable to fire services and law enforcement.
In the late 1950s and 1960s,
Texas Instruments, Hughes Aircraft,
and Honeywell developed single
element detectors that scanned
scenes and produced line images.
The military had a lock on the
technology because it was
expensive and had sensitive military
applications. These basic detectors (12) Woodbury Minnesota)
led to the development of modern thermal imaging.”. (11) Bullard)
The thermal imaging technology was first demonstrated to the
military in 1979. At first it was quite expensive, but after 1991 the
production quantities of the equipment went up and the price of each
piece decreased remarkably. It was then, the thermal imaging
equipment was also introduced to fire fighters. First thermal imager
specifically designed for fire fighting was introduced in 1998. (11) Bullard)

Seeing in dark before the modern thermal imaging equipment

Before the modern thermal imaging (that is based on collecting

infrared information and translating it to visible picture) was invented,
military forces used first generation night vision equipment. “Night
vision devices were first used in World War II, and came into wide use
during the Vietnam War.” (13) Wikipedia/Night vision device) The first
generation night vision devices had a much different working principle,
than those of todays world knows and uses. “American soldiers used
image intensifiers called Star-Tron scopes in the Vietnam War (similar
to the

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10
device shown on right). The scopes
were almost as heavy as the rifles
they were mounted on, and were
extremely expensive to manufacture.
They worked by focusing the dim night
scene onto a photo-cathode inside a
tube. The photo-cathode accelerated
and multiplied the electrons from the (14) Utah Gun Collectors
ambient light, and focused them into a Association)

visible image. The Star-Tron scope permitted a soldier to see in the

dark about 400 yards ( 366 m), but it had several unfortunate
drawbacks. The scope would shut down if it was exposed to a sudden
bright light, and the device emitted a high-pitched whine that was often
loud enough to give away its userÕs (sic) position, thus cancelling out
the stealth effect.”. (15) Bookrags/Night Vision Devices)
There was a lot of work done to eliminate the mentioned problem.
The scientists successfully removed the malfunction from the device
before the next generation was announced. (15) Bookrags/Night Vision
Devices)

Modern thermal imaging technology basic working principles

“A thermographic camera, sometimes

called a FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed), or an
infrared camera less specifically, is a device that
forms an image using infrared radiation, similar
to a common camera that forms an image using
visible light. Instead of the 450–750 nanometer
range of the visible light camera, infrared (16) About.com/Origins
cameras operate in wavelengths as long as of Thermal Imaging or
Infrared (IR) Imaging,
14,000 nm (14 µm).” (17) Wikipedia/Thermographic 1977)
camera)
Modern technology used to see otherwise invisible light is mainly
based on thermal infrared imaging and in many references is called
“infrared thermography” “Infrared thermography is not the same as
night vision. Night vision operates on the principle of light amplification,
so in a totally dark environment light amplification would yield no image
where as a thermal imager would.”. (16) About.com/Origins of Thermal
Imaging or Infrared (IR) Imaging, 1977) “A thermal imaging device gives the
ability to see targets in darkness or smoke.”. (16) About.com/Origins of
Thermal Imaging or Infrared (IR) Imaging, 1977)
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“All bodies above the absolute zero of
temperature absorb and radiate infrared
radiation.” (18) The Free Dictionary/infrared
radiation) “By international agreement, absolute
zero is defined as precisely 0 K on the Kelvin
scale, which is a thermodynamic (absolute)
temperature scale, and −273.15° on the
Celsius scale.”. (19) Wikipedia/Absolute zero) So,
figuratively speaking, if one took a thermal
picture of an object, which was surrounded by
nothing, and had a temperature of absolute
zero, the resulting image would be blank. Of (20) Flir.com/FLIR i5 and
i7 Infrared Camera)
course that kind of a situation is imaginary,
and could not happen in everyday life.
“A thermal imaging camera consists of five components: an optic
system, detector, amplifier, signal processing, and display.” (21) Thermal
imaging camera) When a commonly used digital cameras’ sensor is able to
create a picture if light that is visible to human eye is projected through
a lens to the sensor, then thermal imaging cameras’ sensor is able to
generate an image using light that is invisible, such as infrared light.
Picture taken with a thermal imaging camera can be monochrome
or colorful. That depends on the cameras’ sensor. “Images from
infrared cameras tend to be monochromatic because the cameras are
generally designed with only a single type of sensor responding to
single wavelength range of infrared radiation. Color cameras require a
more complex construction to differentiate wavelength and color has
less meaning outside of the normal visible spectrum because the
differing wavelengths do not map uniformly into the system of color
vision used by humans. Sometimes these monochromatic images are
displayed in pseudo-color, where changes in color are used rather than
changes in intensity to display changes in the signal.” (17)
Wikipedia/Thermographic camera) Most of the thermal camera sensors, that
are able to create colorful pictures, can also do it in monocrome, but
not the other way around. A
similar parallel could be
drawn between black &
white and color film used in
everyday photography.
When projecting images to
a photo paper, the latter
could, in principle, be
(17) Wikipedia/Thermographic camera)
Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank
12
successfully used with either color or
balck & white paper, but not the black
& white film.
Some thermal imaging
cameras, that are used in the building
industry, are able to take usual digital
pictures as well. When making (22) Developing problem, or X-ray
fogging?)
comparisons, this additional function
saves both time and money for the people making thermal analysis of a
building, because a thermal image shows aspects of the photographed
object that a usual digital photo does not and vice versa. When placed
side by side, two different pictures of the same object give a better
understanding of the situation or possibly a problem of the object.
These cameras, which do not have the ability to take usual
photographs, do not lack
too much value, when we
are talking about the final
result of thermal analysis,
but for a non professional
client, for example, it is
easier to understand the
situation, when two images
are put side by side. With
thermal cameras, that are
not able to take pictures
visible to human eye, a
(23) Abrioux Home Inspections) separate digital camera is
used.

Comparisson between a digital camera and infrared thermal

camera

One of the important things in nowadays digital photography is

the resolution of the sensor. The bigger it is, the larger the picture.
High resolution can not be directly related to better image quality,
because there are several other importances to the quality of the
image. For example the size of pixels on the sensor and the quality of
the materials used in the lens. Therefore, one of the questions during
both interviews I had past summer, I asked: “What is the resolution of

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

13
 a thermal cameras
sensor?”. Having
photography as one of my
hobbies, but at the same
time knowing very little
about thermography, I
was expecting an answer
comparable to the
numbers that one could
(24) flir.com/ThermaCAM® B4) read from a digital
cameras instruction
manual – 2 to 8 megapixels for lower end cameras, 8 to 24 megapixels
for medium and semi-professional cameras and 24 plus megapixels for
professional studio work cameras. Turns out that my assumptions were
really far off from the correct answer. Both of the companies that I
visited, are using a thermal imaging camera from a company called
FLIR. The resolution of sensors of the cameras that these companies
are using is 320 x 240 pixels, which
equals to about 0,08 megapixels.
Compared to a usual didital camera,
it is a really low resolution, but the
important thing to note here, is that
in thermography the well known
saying “a picture is worth a thousand
words” does not apply.
When in photography the
(25) FLIR/FLIR IR Camera Range for
outcome is just a picture, then in the Building Industry)
thermography the picture has only an illustrative function. Since vision
is one of the most important senses of a human being, then seeing a
picture on a thermal imaging cameras’ screen helps to recognise the
things one is looking for. In the building industry these things would, in
many cases, be heat- and moisture leaks. Besides the illustrative
picture, the outcome of taking a thermal image is a great amount of
information about every singel pixel of the image. When phrased this
way, the 320 x 240 pixels does not seem like a small number anymore.
A simple calculation shows that 320 times 240 is 76 800. That is the
number of analysis the thermal imaging camera does with ervey single
picture taken at that resolution. On the FLIRs’ homepage I was also
able to find more sophisticated thermal imagers with more functions
and larger sensor resolutions. One example is the model called FLIR
660, which has a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels
Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank
14
 totaling 307 200 measuring
points.
When a usual digital
camera, depending, of course,
on the quality and type, could
be bought for few hundred
kroner, then thermal imaging
cameras’ prices are, so to
speak, form another world. For
example, FLIR B4 (see a picture
(25) FLIR/FLIR IR Camera Range for the
Building Industry) of the device from previous
page) costs around 100 000
Danish kroner. The mentioned model is by far not the highest end and
best thermal infrared camera in the
industry, but still the price speaks for
itself. More advanced devices cost
half a million or even more. (26)
Kasekamp, 2009)
The camera pictured on the
right is one of the best FLIR models
one could use. Besides the already
mentioned high resolution it features
several other modern technologies,
that help the operator to achieve
better results in less time.

(27) flir.com/FLIR B660)

Cooled and uncooled infrared cameras

Yet another way to distinguish infrared cameras is if their

detectors are cooled or uncooled. There is a difference in between the
construction of the sensors used in either kind of the systems. Both
have their own pros and cons.
These cameras that use cooled detector systems can, in most
occasions, produce infrared images with higher quality than the
uncooled ones. “Without cooling, these sensors (which detect and
convert light in much the same way as common digital cameras, but
are made of different materials) would be 'blinded' or flooded by their
own radiation.” (17) Wikipedia/Thermographic camera) “Additionally, the
greater sensitivity of cooled cameras also allow the use of higher F-
number

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15
 cooled cameras also allow
the use of higher F-number
lenses, making high
performance long focal
length lenses both smaller
and cheaper for cooled
detectors.” (17)
Wikipedia/Thermographic
camera)
On the other hand,
(28) Richards) there are some drawbacks.
Cooled infrared cameras are relatively expensive both to produce and to
run. Cooling process uses a lot of energy and is also time-consuming.
Cooling down might take several minutes. (17) Wikipedia/Thermographic
camera) Cooling system last only 8 000-10 000 hours, when uncooled
cameras might not need servicing for years. (28) Richards) There are two
commonly used cooling systems - rotary stirling engine cryocooling and
gases bottled at high pressure. (17) Wikipedia/Thermographic camera) “Even
though the cost of a cooled camera core is much higher than an
uncooled core, the system cost (core plus lens) for uncooled surpasses
cooled system cost at a focal length on the order of 350mm.” (28)
Richards) From the previous one could deduce, that in the building
industry there are mainly uncooled systems used, because normally
there is no need to use a lens with a focal lenght of 350mm or more. An
approximate measuring distance from a building, which is 5 meter high
and 10 meters wide, is 25 meters. (26) Kasekamp, 2009)
Uncooled thermal infrared imaging devices are physically smaller
(because there is no need to reserve space for cooling mechanisms)
and also cheaper to produce and maintain. (17) Wikipedia/Thermographic
camera) “However, their resolution and image quality tend to be lower
than cooled detectors. This is due to difference in their fabrication
processes, limited by currently available technology.” (17)
Wikipedia/Thermographic camera)
“Modern uncooled detectors all
use sensors that work by the
change of resistance, voltage or
current when heated by infrared
radiation. These changes are
then measured and compared to
the values at the operating
temperature of the sensor.” (17)
Wikipedia/Thermographic camera) (28) Richards)
Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank
16
Price of the thermal imaging service

Since thermal imaging

equipment is so expensive, in most
cases, the service of taking those
images is bought from a specialised
company. In Estonia the average fee
for thermal analysis of a single family
house is worth around 1 500 Danish
kroner. This price includes both taking
pictures of the building and making a
detailed report with the measuring
results. If there are any problems with
the house, then the report also
includes suggestions for repairs. (26)
Kasekamp, 2009)
Some firms offer the service for
a remarkably lower cost, than (29) Crawford, 2006)
mentioned above. The ones, who need
to use the service, must therefore
watch out not to have a trick played
on them. As described previously,
seeing a thermal picture alone, gives
limited information of the situation. It
does not help the one, ordering the
measuring, enough to take relevant
action for eliminating the
problem/problems. It would not be
wise to set all the companies, offering
the thermography service with a cost
lower than 1500 kroner, aside just
because of the low price – some might
have discount campaigns going on.
Nevertheless, before buying the
(29) Crawford, 2006)
service, one should make a thorough
investigation of what one actually gets for the money. During one of the
interviews I was told, that some of the firms, who offer the thermal
imaging service, do the following: take the pictures of the given
building, charge the client few hundred kroner and present him/her with
a CD of the pictures. There are neither analysis nor suggestive ideas for
fixing the problems included. Unless one wants just the thermal
Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank
17
pictures - which usually is not the case – these kind of companies
should be avoided. (30) Rähmonen, 2009)

Time, precision and trial measuring

Another photography related question, that I asked during the

interviews in Estonia, was: “How long is the exposure time for taking
one thermal image?”. When taking a usual digital image, the exposure
time can vary from approximately 1/8000 of a second to several hours.
It depends on the type of picture and the type of effect one wants to
achieve. However, to get one decent thermal image with enough
information for analysis it takes about 50 seconds. An average time
spent on completing a thermal imaging process for a single family
house, for example, is 1,5 hours. That includes setting up the
equipment to proper places and taking images. Post analysis takes
some additional time. Of course every building is different and has its
own characteristics, so the precise measuring time depends on various
factors. (26) Kasekamp, 2009)
With FLIR B4 temperature is measured on every point on the
thermal picture with an accuracy of 0,1°C (30) Rähmonen, 2009) On the
FLIR website the number of accuracy is said to be even as low as
0,08°C (24) flir.com/ThermaCAM® B4). The best temperature of the working
environment for the thermal camera FLIR B4 is between -20°C and
+55°C. (24) flir.com/ThermaCAM® B4) For best measuring results indoor an
outdoor temperature difference should be about 15°C for a constant
period – an occasional night frost during autumn or spring does not
count. The best time to run a thermal imaging would be a cold period –
preferably during the winter season. (30) Rähmonen,
2009) 20°C difference in indoor and outdoor
temperatures would be the ideal condition (26)
Kasekamp, 2009) and 10°C would be the minimum (31)
Trial Thermal Measuring in Horsens, 2009)
The trial measuring, that was scheduled to take
place on 24th of November in Horsens on the VIA
University Colleges’ property, did not
succeed 100%. The building, that was to be taken
thermal images of, was still under construction and
therefore not warm enough from the inside to make
up the metioned temperature difference of at least (32) ECOlab
10°C. The attempt to heat up the building with an Horsens, 2009)

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18
 electrical hot air blower failed, because it could
not have been left turned on overnight due to the
risk of burning down the buliding if anything went
wrong. According to the thermal imaging
specialist, who was on the site taking the
(32) ECOlab Horsens, pictures, the building should have been under
2009) constant heating for about a week to heat up the
walls and achieve the inside
temperature acceptable for
taking decent thermal images.
(31) Trial Thermal Measuring in
Horsens, 2009)
The building itself is being
built for a scientific project and
meant for that kind of
measurings and tests. The inside
area of it is only about 10m2. It (32) ECOlab Horsens, 2009)
has thick well insulated walls.
The roof is covered with solar
panels.
Although the conditions for
thermal imaging were far from
perfect, some pictures were
taken just to demonstrate how
the camera works. Model
number of the camera used is
(32) ECOlab Horsens, 2009)
NEC TH7800. The resolution of
the cameras thermal picture sensor is the
same as it is in FLIR B4 – 320x240 px (pixels).
This camera has the ability to take both
thermal and usual digital
images simultaneously.
(33) Thermo Tracer TH7800
320x240 Pixels)
The original idea,
why ECOlab building was
chosen for the measuring,
was to check the house
with a professional thermal
(33) Thermo Tracer imager aginst any flaws in (32) ECOlab Horsens,
TH7800 320x240 the construction quality. 2009)
Pixels) One of the
Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank
19
possible problems with the building that I had in
mind and would have wanted to have been
controlled, was the tightness of the heat proofing
around the windows and doors. Since the ECOlab
is being built as a passive house using all the
modern materials to make it sustainable it
should, according to the calculations, work (32) ECOlab Horsens,
2009)
that way once finished. Nevertheless, taking
thermal images of the building would give an
additional security and peace of mind that
everything was done properly. As mentioned,
this time the measuring did not succeed due to
too small temperature differences between
inside and outside, but I sincerely hope, that this
kind of measuring will take place in the future
when the building construction has been
completed. Of course, if done, it will be a subject
of another report or dissertation but this one.

(32) ECOlab Horsens,

2009)
Who can perform thermal imaging?

Since a thermal imaging specialist is not an easy profession to

have, one could think, that to become one, he/she would need to,
figuratively speaking, go through fire and water to get a certificate for
that. Some part of this thought is
true, but some is not. Sure, a
thermal imaging specialist must
have great amount of knowledge
about the thermography field to
do the work properly and
effectively, but at least in Estonia
one does not need a paper or
diploma for doing that kind of
work. This being said, people
should be aware of who they
really hire to do the inspection on
their house. There are some
service providers out there, who
(34) Viewport enables closed-door IR
scans of electrical panels.) have just bought a thermal
imaging camera to make some
Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank
20
 money by using the equipment
for taking bare infrared pictures
and presenting their client with
these. They are including very
vague analysis thogether with the
thermal images, if any at all.
Therefore, trusting companies or
individuals with proper education
and long experience pays off,
even if their service costs a penny
more.
At this point I find it
necessary to mention, that the
previous applies only for taking
thermal images. Drawing an
energy audit together, is a whole
(35) npiweb.com) different story. One needs to have
a special licence for doing energy audits. (26)
Kasekamp, 2009) “An energy audit is an inspection,
survey and analysis of energy flows for energy
conservation in a building, process or system to
reduce the amount of energy input into the system
without negatively affecting the output(s).” “When
(36) ITC - Building
the object of study is an occupied building then Science
reducing energy consumption while maintaining or Thermography
improving human comfort, health and safety are of Certification)

primary concern. Beyond simply identifying the sources of energy use,

an energy audit seeks to prioritize the energy uses according to the
greatest to least cost effective opportunities for energy savings.” (37)
Wikipedia/Energy audit)
At the same time, in The United Stated
there are extensive educational training courses
provided for specialists working withing the field
of thermography. “Advances in technology have
provided infrared equipment that is user-
friendly; however, infrared thermography is not
(38) The Academy Of a "simply point and shoot" technology. In
Infrared Training Inc
(AIRT))
addition to understanding the object or system
being inspected, thermographers must also
understand common error sources that can influence observed thermal
data. Typically, infrared training courses should cover the topics of

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

21
infrared theory, heat transfer concepts, equipment selection and
operation, how to eliminate or overcome common error sources, and
specific applications.” (39) Wapedia/Thermographic camera) “Structural
thermal imaging professionals can properly interpret readings and
recommend cost-effective measures to improve building efficiency.” (39)
Wapedia/Thermographic camera) To reach the highest - third - certified level,
it takes a lot of work and time.
“A Level 3 must:
 Meet all the requirements for a Level 2 thermographer.
 Complete a further 40 hours training under an approved
program and pass an exam with at least 75%.
 Work for at least 48 months as an active thermographer.
 Have at least 1920 hours of cumulative experience in
thermography.
 Submit proof of this.”
(39) Wapedia/Thermographic camera)
“A Level 3 qualified thermographer is "qualified to perform and/or direct
all types of thermographic measurements and analysis." (39)
Wapedia/Thermographic camera)
“Certification is written proof of qualification, and a well trained
thermographer will not only be trained, but properly certified. ISO
18436 lays down the criteria for certification.” (39) Wapedia/Thermographic
camera)

Emissivity

Another term that is important, when talking about

thermography, is emissivity. “Emissivity is a term representing a
material's ability to emit thermal radiation.” (40) Wikipedia/Emissivity) One
of the most important part of thermography specialists’ work is to know
how to estimate emissivity. “Each material has a different emissivity
and it can be quite a task to determine the appropriate emissivity for a
subject. A material's emissivity can range from 0.00 (completely not-
emitting) to 1.00 (completely emitting); the emissivity often varies with
temperature.” (40) Wikipedia/Emissivity)
Emissivity is related to the theory of Black Body. “A black body is
a theoretical object which will radiate infrared radiation at its contact
temperature.” (40) Wikipedia/Emissivity) “Since there is no such thing as a
perfect black body, the infrared radiation of normal objects will appear
to be less than the contact temperature. The rate (percentage) of

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

22
 TABLE OF EMISSIVITY - emission of infrared radiation will
METALS thus be a fraction of the true
Normal contact temperature. This fraction
Temp.
Material emissivity, is called emissivity.” (40)
(°C)
En Wikipedia/Emissivity)
Aluminum “To make a temperature
Unoxidized 100 0.03
measurement of an object, the
Unoxidized 500 0.06
thermographer will refer to the
Oxidized 200 0.11
Oxidized 600 0.19 emissivity table to choose the
Monel, Ni-Cu emissivity value of the object,
Unoxidized 200 0.41 which is then entered into the
Unoxidized 600 0.46 camera. The camera's algorithm
Nickel will correct the temperature by
Polished 40 0.05 using the emissivity to calculate a
Oxidized 40 0.31 temperature that more closely
Oxidized 250 0.46
matches the actual contact
Steel
temperature of the object.” (40)
Unoxidized 100 0.08
Oxidized 100 0.80 Wikipedia/Emissivity) There is an
Stainless example of a basic emissivity
Steel table on the left. Of course, there
Polished 100 0.22 are more complex tables with
Polished 425 0.45 more information for actual
(41) Infrared ir thermal imaging cameras
infrared thermography.
for thermographic applications;
emissivity)

Some advantages and disadvantages of thermography

Advantages
It helps to prevent problems prior
to their occurrence
It can be used to observe areas
inaccessible or hazardous for other
methods
It can be used to find defects in
shafts, pipes, and other metal or
plastic parts
It can be used to see better in
darker or completely dark
environment
It makes catching moving targets
in real time easy
It is a non-destructive test method
(42) Wikipedia/Advantages of thermography)
Disadvantages
The cameras cost a lot (often over
US$ 6000)
For getting accurate temperatures,
emissivity must be determined
correctly
Most cameras have ±2% accuracy
or worse and are not as accurate
as contact methods
Thermography is only able to
directly detect surface
temperatures

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

23
When to order a thermal infrared inspection?

If previously there was a topic about the price of thermal infrared

inspections, then this paragraph is listing the main reasons why to
order the service.
If one has a problem with his/hers
heating bill showing too large numbers, then
it would be a good idea to have his/hers
home examined by a thermography
specialist. It does not necessarily have to be
a private house, that the thermal images
could be taken of. Semi-detached houses or
apartments can be investigated as well.
Thermal images can reveal constructional
problems invisible to human eye, such as
partly or totally missing insulation in some
parts of the wall as well as moisture
damages. (26) Kasekamp, 2009)
The fact, that a house is recently built
or only a few years old, does not give any (43) Ebuilding Envelope
Forum)
guarantee for the building to be in good
order. During one of the interviews in Estonia I had a severe story
shared with me. When the handing over time for a building was getting
close, my interviewee had heard a builder shouting harsh words
towards the site manager, because the latter had not warned the
building crew for the coming thermal inspection. That was all, what my
interviewee told me about this case, but it is fairly easy to read
between the lines and understand, that clearly some parts of the
building had not been insulated properly
to cut down on the cost of building
materials. Again, the problem could not
have been discovered without a thermal
inspection. (30) Rähmonen, 2009)
If there are any mistakes found
inside the construction of a building, then,
in most cases, some advice is given to the
owner of the building or to the person,
who ordered the inspection, how to
eliminate those problems. Sometimes
simple replacement of windows or
externally insulating some walls can do
(44)frenta)
Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank
24
the trick. Then again, there are cases, where the thermal inspection
specialists have to be the ones who deliver the bad news. Sometimes it
would be just too expensive to correct all the constructional failures in
order to render the house heatproof – cheaper solution would be to tear
down the house and build a new one. (30) Rähmonen, 2009)
Selling or buying
real estate could also
be a good reason for
ordering a thermal
(45)mulden)
inspection. An official
signed document about the condition of the building gives the buyer a
better picture of the situation and proves that the seller has nothing to
hide. Of course, as a buyer, it would be wise to ask for a thermal
inspection, if one has not been provided beforehand.
If any suspicions arise about the truthfulness of a thermal
measuring carried out before one gets to see the house, it would be
clever to ask for a new one. If the owner of the building refuses to pay
for the new measuring but the buyer is still interested in purchasing it,
it would be money spent wisely to still order a new measuring and pay
for it themselves. If it turns out, that there are no thermal or moisture
problems detectable with a infrared imager, then the buyer loses about
1 500 kroner, but still gains a peace of mind about the condition of the
building. When ordering a new measuring, there is 50-50 chance, that
it will be showing more or less the same numbers as the old one did.
That said, it would be better to pay this money to be insured of the
situation of the building, than to pay many times more for a years
heating bill or repairs of the house in the future.
At one of the interviews in Estonia, my interviewee told me, that
he had had to work for people who tried to pay him off in order for him
to lie about the condition of a building. That had clearly been to hide
some mistakes in the construction of the house. Naturally, he had
refused the offer and explained his reputation and honesty to be more
important than few thousand kroner. (30) Rähmonen, 2009)

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

25
SUMMARY OF THE WORKING PROCESS

Collecting information

During the summer 2009 I collected some information about

thermal imaging from different web pages, after which I had two
interviews with two companies dealing with infrared cameras in Estonia.
Since the whole thing was new to me, I started from the very beginning
and gathered some basic facts from those meetings. Questions like
“What can the infrared cameras be used for?” and “What is the best
distance to take a thermal picture of a house?” got easy, but thorough
answers. I even had a chance to see an infrared camera and have some
functions of its menu introduced to me.
I also had an opportunity to take part in an experiment on a
passive house in Horsens that was specially being built for tests. With
the help from my consultant, who organised a meeting with a company
dealing with thermal imaging in Denmark, I got to see a thermal
imaging camera in action. Reading about a subject is one thing, but to
see it working in real life is a whole different story.
Collecting decent information about the subject was not easy,
because there are so many informative sources, with somewhat
different facts, out there, so it was hard to choose one and rely totally
on that. On the other hand, having enough options to choose between
and having specialists of thermal imaging with years of experience
consulting me, made writing the dissertation a great learning
opportunity. It also gave me security and piece of mind when the
people working with infrared cameras daily, confirmed some facts that I
had read from a page or another.

Thermal Imaging Using Infrared Cameras – Tanel Prank

26
CONCLUSION

Based on infrared (invisible light discovered more than 200 years

ago) the mankind has invented a high end technology that is both
extremely helpful and a necessary part of nowadays building industry.
Using thermal infrared inspection service to find out
constructional flaws of a building is a very good idea. There is no need
to open up any inaccessible sections of the house, because
thermography is a non-destructive test method. Thermographic camera
is able to measure temperatures of surfaces without having a physical
contact to them. It is relatively cheap to use this service and trace
down the defects compared to the price of repairing the possible errors
made during the erection of the building later.
However, a piece of thermographic equipment costs a fortune
and, in most cases, is not affordable for a regular individual. At the
same time, the unattainability is good in a way that handling a thermal
infrared camera requires a lot of knowledge and experience anyway. To
avoid miscalculations and wrong conclusions it is better to leave the job
of thermal inspections to the professionals.
As well as there is a large number of thermal infrared camera
manufacturers, there are many companies offering the service of
thermal inspections. To find out the best relation between the price and
the quality, a thorough investigation, of what one acctually gets for the
money, must be made, before buying the service.
The best time of the year for running thermal imaging is winter.
As the trial measuring in Horsens also showed, this type of camera
cannot be properly used, when the temperature differences between
indoor and oudoor are not great enough.
There are number of conditions which have to be fulfilled for
using an infrared thermal imager. There conditions are not only physical
or weather related, but also depend on the knowledge of the cameras
operator. One of these importances is knowing how to correctly apply
emissivity.
To sum up, this study gives a thorough insight to thermal imaging
and good bases for somebody looking for further information on the
subject.

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27
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