Thursday, October 27, 2016

Infrared Testing – When and Why It's Needed


As a business or commercial property owner, damage to your roof is at the top of the list of potential threats to your building. The roof is your property’s main defense, protecting it from rain, wind, heat, and many other natural hazards. While roofs are designed and installed to withstand the forces of nature, over time, sections of your roof can be weakened by repeated or abnormal exposure to moisture. 

Too often, owners or occupants of buildings do not notice an issue with their roof until damage starts to show in the interior. Unfortunately, by the time a leak or other damage is noticed, your roof may be past the point of simple repairs. Repairing or replacing your roof can be one of the most expensive costs during the building’s life span, so it is important to be proactive and identify possible issues before they develop into larger problems. A great preventative measure you can take to protect your roof is infrared testing.

Infrared testing is a non-destructive method to detect moisture damage to your roof. As the sun shines on your roof throughout the day, the temperature of your roof increases. As the sun sets and your roof cools down, areas where moisture is trapped cool off at a slower rate. Infrared cameras are able to spot these temperature differences and pinpoint affected areas of your roof.

Infrared testing is beneficial to property owners in numerous ways.  As the owner of a building, the last thing you want to risk is the safety of the occupants. Identifying potential areas of concern can go a long in way in protecting the structural integrity of your entire roof. Additionally, water damage adds to the weight of your roof, so identifying issues early on will help avoid structural issues with the rest of your building.

Identifying compromised areas of your roof also helps reduce your expenses. Instead of spending money repairing or replacing your entire roof, infrared testing allows you to locate and repair only the damaged sections. As for long term costs, water-damaged areas of a roof affect your roof’s insulation. Repairing a damaged section of your roof will increase the energy efficiency of your building, in return lowering electricity bills.

It is recommended that you have your roof inspected using infrared testing at least once a year. If your property is located in an area that experiences extreme weather, it is smart to have your roof inspected before and after the severe weather season. Additionally, whenever a building is purchased, sold or leased, you should have the roof inspected to make sure any damage is identified.  

If you have any questions about infrared testing, please give us a call at (267) 327-4680 or visit our website. We’re a commercial roofing company in New Jersey, and we’re more than happy to help you explore your options and identify the best solution for your commercial buildings.