Comments

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  Matt Pickston December 19, 2016 at 8:57am

  Thanks so much.  Very, very helpful.
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  John Nicholas December 18, 2016 at 9:53pm

  OK!  Qualitative by definition require a blower door. Without you are doing Quantitative.

  Where is the sun in relation to your image? What time of day? To follow the various testing standards for judging the Grade of Insulation you must have images taken with no blower door going and a ∆T of 18° F or more for 12 hours. I always do these within 30 minutes of local sunrise. Then you run the blower door, and re-image 100% of the walls again. Take the images before and after and tweak them on the computer. 

  Tweaks:  Remember the camera assumes you are equally interested in the lowest temperature in the frame and the highest temp and each temp in between.  You are not. Adjust the Level and Span so you can isolate the area of interest in each image. As you adjust these you will see your image change. Try changing the color palette. 

  You are aware how the colors in the image change as you look at a wall, and then move the camera to include a light bulb or a mirror, right?  Changing the level and span has the same type of effect. 

  If your image has a low temp of 35, due to a wet washcloth; and a high temperature of 95 because there is a GFI or an active electronic device.  The span is set by auto from 35 - 95.  It sounds like you want a span of 15°.  The level may set that span at 52 - 67 or 60 - 75.  It will show a whole lot more of what you want.

  When you compare your two sets of images, you will be better equipped to see an area the lift did not fully fill the cavity in an area; COMPARED to a more pinpoint area that is actually a hole and sucking air.  

  I would not get too concerned about a few places you are seeing an low area which you would call R-12 with no drywall in the way; compared to a full lift of R-14. A few places say less than 5% of the wall area total.  

  Use the Square Inches of ELA with your Blower Door results and the number of pinholes; you will then be able to justify your call on the fixes or no fixes. 

  Remember the extra $$ charged by the contractor is always sold as air sealing in addition to the insulation. So providing a Blower Door Print out to the contractor for the builder helps the quality control.  You can also figure the ASHRAE 62.2 ventilation rate.
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  Matt Pickston December 18, 2016 at 5:53pm

  I am not certified. Qualitative.  I also have a blower door.  I did not see the install.

  Yes, when there are question...I help find areas of non fill.  Insulator uses this as quality control and o be sure his customers are happy.

  Outside temperature is 27, Inside temperature is 68. Majority of walls are 64.  Non filled cavities were appear around 55F or lower.  However I will get areas of 61 next to areas of 64 ..most pin point  but some larger.   Trying to balance what is actionable with what is not.  
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  John Nicholas December 18, 2016 at 5:25pm

  As a Lvl II Thermographer with over 5 years of work in both existing and new homes, I am not aware of any Rule of Thumb.  Have you taken a Certification Class?  Are you doing Qualitative or Quantitative IR Inspections?  What other equipment do you have that you use or may use in these inspections?

  Can you describe the size of the temperature fluctuations?  Pinpoint, Are less than 9 inches square, larger areas? Are they relatively warmer or cooler than the surrounding area?  Did you observe the foam install? 

  What are you getting paid to do? I assume the SPF contractor is going to use your inspection as a quality control.  So is it to train his staff, re-do substandard work or to just show the customer paying him that he got a good job?  or more than one?
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  Matt Pickston December 18, 2016 at 5:07pm

  I use my IR Camera to verify work for a Insulator who uses foam to fill the wall cavities.  I am looking for a rule of thumb to help guide me in determining what is or isnt significant.  At what point do I recommend action based on temperature profiles alone. For the mos part easy to tell when a cavity is empty, but often there are temperature fluctuations of a degree or 2.  Not sure if this is foam density difference, cracking etc.  Any guidance would be appreciated.  Outside temps are 30F,.  I take images from the interior.
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  Don Fitchett September 3, 2014 at 9:41am

  John, yes I would like to push the "Online" as that is what I said. I said it is the "... only provider of Online " . I did not say it is 'the only provider period'. I said it is the only ONLINE provider, who also meets the ASNT SNT-TC-1A recommendations ..." (The "online" part was the key reason for post, so should be the last thing you leave out when trying to disprove my statement. :)

  Whether you question the quality of online training in general, is a different matter altogether, but the quality can't be as bad as you perceive since it  meets the ASNT SNT-TC-1A recommendations. (plus it also qualifies for NETA CTDs, and approved by the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors for 32 hours of continuing education, and other organizations like RCI and CITA continuing education credits)

  I would be the first to step up and state in person instruction is better than online training. That statement is a no brainer, we all should already know. (something like Mr. Obvious would say. :) And I never claimed this online thermography training is better than in person training. Knowing in person training by the right person is better than online training should be 'a given' for the highly educated level of readers here. I was just letting those who didn't already know it, that ...

  if you can't work in-person cost and scheduling into your life, there is an ONLINE IR Infrared training and certification option available that  meets the ASNT SNT-TC-1A recommendations.

  That is all that short comment I previously made was stating. Hope this clarifies it for you John.
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  John Nicholas September 2, 2014 at 5:57pm

  Don,  You are incorrect!  This is *NOT* the only course available that meets the ASNT requirements.  I've taken both Level I and Level II courses from another training provider that meet the ASNT requirements.  In selecting my training from 2010 through now, I checked out 3 separate providers that meet the requirement. 

  If you wish to push the 'Online' I would seriously question the quality of learning one would obtain.
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  Don Fitchett September 2, 2014 at 2:53pm

  "This is the only provider of Online Infrared Thermography Training course that meet the ASNT SNT-TC-1A recommendations for a 32 hour curriculum." 
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  Jeremy Begley February 9, 2014 at 4:25pm

  What does anyone think about these? Do know anything about the specs? 

  IPhone/Android Thermal Imager
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  Bruce A. Bailey August 29, 2013 at 1:07pm

  Does anyone have a recommendation for best level 1 IR training in the Southeast US with emphasis on energy auditing and Energy rating? Thanks