08/29/2018
An Article I wrote several years back updated as it is still relevant today.
Infrared Scanning of Roofs
“Why should I scan my roof” I get asked this every time I bring the subject up to a client. It’s all about control. Scanning your roof can find those little leaks that you may not even know you have. Water can be getting into your roof but not showing up downstairs. Instead, it remains trapped in the roofing system causing damage as it grows with time. Scanning your roof is the best way to “see” what’s going on in your roof. A roof that is scanned and little or no water is found can mean that a program of repairs and upgrades may be a viable option instead of replacing the roof. This can save owners many thousands of dollars depending on the size of the roof.
An infrared scan is also a very good tool that in many cases shows us where a leak is coming from. The photo on the right is of a “hot pipe” and you can clearly see the white area around it suggesting that the area around it is wet.
Finding a leak in the roof early can save you time and money. The roofer has a much smaller area to search when looking for an active leak. If there is no active leak in the area that has water detected the roofer's search area is greatly reduced. Often the problem can be fixed with a simple patch. If a leak is caught early enough and repaired it prevents damage to the roofing system from growing into a large scale repair or replacement.
The photo to the left shows an area that is approximately 3,500 square feet. There were no definitive signs that this area of the roof was wet and there was no active leak detected in the building. It should also be noted that it appears that the water is emanating from the wall adjacent to it and it was draining out of the roof down a pipe chaise into the ground under the building. The owner of this roof was considering a repair program but with this large area (and others) detected in the Infrared scan, the owner opted to replace the roof saving them the repair costs.
The photo to the right shows an area of the roof that appeared to be in serviceable condition. Although the seams were not is great shape there was no indication that there had been any significant water infiltration into the roof. However, our infrared scan revealed that there was a water infiltration problem along the expansion joint in the roof that was allowing significant amounts of water into the roof.
Having your roof scanned is a powerful tool that allows a building owner to get a much better picture of what is going on within there roof. It lets an owner visually see into the roof and make decisions based on fact not what is suspected to be going on. It also can reveal hidden problems that are still small that can be repaired before they become much bigger problems. Scanning your roof allows you to make repairs on your own terms. You don’t end up paying the premium costs associated with emergencies. This can save you time and money. Many of our clients now consider infrared scanning a key component of their annual roof maintenance program. It keeps them in control of their roofing costs.
EHA Design, Inc. will be glad to discuss with you what Infrared Scanning of your roofs can do for you. If your roofs are more than five years old you should consider having them scanned. If you have a roof less than a year old we can scan it while it is still under warranty. This will help ensure that any small issues do not become bigger problems later. If your roofs have high foot traffic due to servicing of equipment you should consider having them scanned.
EHA Design, Inc. is a full-service Architectural firm specializing in roofing and building envelope investigation, restoration, and design. EHA Design, Inc. has been performing infrared scans for more than 15 years. They are done by our own staff with our own equipment. If you have any questions please call us. We would be glad to discuss with you how having an infrared scan can give you better control of your roof.
