How Infrared Electrical Inspection Reduces Risk of Building Fires

If you want to maintain your property, the prevention of fires must be your significant concern.

Fires are a threat to lives and properties. And they also lead to financial losses.

This is where using advanced technologies becomes essential.

Infrared electrical inspection is also one such technology. It offers highly accurate and non-invasive means of detecting anomalies and electrical faults. These inspections have revolutionized assessing and mitigating potential fire hazards in the building.

Let’s first discuss what an infrared inspection is and how it can protect your facility. Furthermore, we will also talk about how it works and what inspectors look for during inspection.

What Is An Infrared Electrical Inspection?

It is a process of detecting any fire hotspots and abnormalities. These inspections use thermal imaging techniques. Thus, it is more effective in places that are hard to reach.

An infrared electrical inspection can help scan any electrical component. These may include breakers, connections, wiring, switches, MCC, etc.

Infrared inspections offer several benefits, some of them are:

• Precision
• Reduction in unscheduled downtime
• Reduction in equipment damage
• Reduction in insurance costs
• Reduction in the risk of fire due to mechanical and electrical malfunctions
• Increase in personnel effectiveness

How Infrared Electrical Inspection Protects Your Facility

Infrared thermography electrical inspection can protect your facility. There are several ways it can do that. Below, we discuss some of these ways.

Early Detection of Electrical Issues

These inspections use specialized infrared cameras. This helps in detecting anomalies and heat patterns in electrical systems.

It proves to be a great way to help identify electrical components. These components must be operating at higher temperatures than usual.

With an early detection of these hotspots, you can address such issues before they become significant.

They can escalate into serious problems such as equipment damage and electrical failures. A worse problem that it can lead to is fire hazards.

Thus, early detection helps in preventing these unplanned downtime. While it further reduces the risk of costly replacements or repairs.

Preventive Maintenance Planning

Regular IR inspections establish a baseline for your electrical equipment’s operating temperatures.

With time, you can track deviations or changes from this baseline. This can then show the development of some issues.

With such information in hand, you can plan proactive maintenance. Further, you can also address these issues during scheduled downtime.

This leads to minimal impact on your facility’s operations.

Increased Electrical System Reliability

You can ensure more reliable operations of your electrical systems. This can be done by subjecting them to regular IR inspections.

It is preferred to identify and address these issues early. Through this, you can prevent unexpected outages and failures.

This then helps in maintaining and continuing your facility’s operations. Furthermore, it also reduces the risk associated with costly downtime.

Enhanced Safety

There are many electrical issues your facility might face. These issues could be overloaded circuits, loose connections, or faulty equipment. Such problems also pose significant safety hazards.

With IR inspections, you can detect these issues easily.

Later, can then take corrective measures to minimize and eliminate the risks.

You can ensure a safer working environment for your facility’s occupants. It will also reduce the possibility of electrical accidents. And it will also help you in complying with safety regulations.

Energy Efficiency Optimization

Infrared inspections make it easier to find energy inefficiencies in electrical systems.

For instance, excessive electrical resistance may be an indication of overheating components. This will then lead to energy losses.

Addressing these inefficiencies can help reduce utility costs and optimize energy usage. Moreover, it can also contribute to the overall sustainability efforts of your facility.

An annual IR electrical inspection is a proactive approach to maintaining the facility. This also helps identify potential electrical issues. You can avoid these issues from resulting in safety hazards or failures.

Taking these preventive measures and addressing these concerns is best.

Thus, you can ensure the safety of your facility. Further, you can also improve operational reliability. And you will also be minimizing the risk related to costly repairs and unplanned downtime.

How Does It Work?

Thermal cameras can detect temperature by detecting and capturing different levels of IR light.

If the intensity is high enough, this can be felt as heat even though this light is invisible to the naked eye.

Infrared radiation is one of the ways heat is transferred and is emitted by every object.

The inspectors use IR technology to scan the electrical system during the inspections. They also check and scan the electrical components while they are under load.

Later, the scan produces a thermal map indicating temperature gradients and overheated areas. They also show abnormalities, defects, or fire hazards.

Defects in connections and components lead to hot spots. Infrared electrical inspection thus finds these hot spots.

Infrared thermography electrical inspection finds areas of excess heat. The increase in resistance causes this.

Later, this assists in correcting the component before its failure.

It is important to note that a component failure can cause damage to the component. Further, it leads to productivity loss and creates safety hazards.

What Inspectors Look For During Infrared Electrical Inspection

During the inspection, the inspector primarily focuses on identifying electrical issues. Following are some of the key aspects that an inspector will be looking for.

Hotspots

Inspectors look out for areas or hotspots with abnormal temperature patterns.

These can indicate overloaded circuits, loose connections, or faulty components. These might lead to overheating and most likely ignite a fire.

Overloaded Circuits

Your facility can have electrical circuits operating above their designated capacity. Inspectors will be searching for these circuits.

One case of overloaded circuits is excessive heat. And this imposes a higher risk of causing fires.

Loose Connections

Various possible areas can have loose electrical connections. These include connectors, wires, or terminals. Such loose connections can generate heat due to high resistance.

Inspectors will look for such corroded or loose connections. They will also report whether such connections need replacement or tightening.

Faulty Components

Inspectors will inspect electrical components like fuses, switches, and circuit breakers. They will also inspect the transformer for signs of malfunction.

They might suggest a replacement when they find any sign of unusual temperature variation or overheating.

Inspectors will have their focus on the above-mentioned components. They understand the consequences of leaving these components unaddressed. They can lead to electrical failures.

Further, they might also lead to building fires.

Thus, infrared electrical inspection provides essential data for preventive maintenance. And this also presents safety measures.

Start Investing in Safety

These inspections provide thorough results. And they are also one of the affordable options. You can always choose infrared electrical inspection to save yourself from fire hazards. The National Fire Protection Association states that an annual IR inspection is preventive. Not to forget, prevention is always better than cure.

Schedule your Elite Inspection today and experience peace of mind!

Don’t wait; secure your property’s safety and value now.