CAI-NJ Nov.2017

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hermal radiation is emitted from every single object

around you right now, you just can’t see it. No, not

the radiation that causes cancer or three-eyed fish but

the thermal signature an object gives off. Every object in the

universe has the ability to retain and emit heat. A thermal

imaging camera allows visualization and capture of this

heat signature data through photography and videogra-

phy. The images created by these special cameras are as

beautiful and intriguing as they are informative. However,

against popular belief and the movie Predator, infrared

cameras (or vision) do not grant the ability to see through

walls … or clothes for that matter!

What is Thermography?

Thermography is the ability to study heat or infrared

radiation emitted from objects and structures. The science

of observing thermal signatures has been around since

the age of the pyramids. Doctors of the time realized that

some illnesses and diseases directly correlate to the surface

temperature of the human body. To determine if there was

INFRARED

BUILDING

INSPECTIONS

Old Science –

New Tool

By Ian Martin,

Level 1

Thermographer,

FWH Associates, P.A.

a temperature difference, they would apply mud to the con-

cerning area and establish the difference in drying rates.

In the early 1900’s, scientists used photography to capture

the infrared spectrum which was considered the start of

modern thermography as we know it. Throughout the next

few decades, the quality of imaging improved drastically,

particularly as a result of military research during World

War II and the Korean Conflict. The science was crucial

in various areas of the battlefield, including the observation

of enemy troops in low light conditions (1). The use of this

technology became declassified soon after these events

and several industries immediately took advantage of its

capabilities, such as the medical and utility industries.

In order to really understand what a thermal image is

portraying, a basic understanding of Thermal Dynamics is

required. While a PhD in Physics may be overkill for observ-

ing a building façade, the principles must be understood

to interpret the images properly. Here is a good place to

start your basic understanding of thermal dynamics: object

inherently absorb, retain and emit heat. This universal prop-

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