Infrared Roof Image
Click on the picture above to see a bigger image. Infrared roof images in the winter can be tricky. Most of the time they are impossible from the outside because the air is too cold causing any moisture under the roof to be frozen. Also most drones like it to be 32 degree or warmer in order to fly. This is because we are using a drone with an infrared camera to perform the infrared inspection. Visit http://droneinfraredimaging.com for more info.
Sometime there is the possibility of doing the infrared from the underside of the roof if the decking is metal otherwise it is impossible. The metal decking actually reads opposite of the outside infrared. The wet spots on the roof will read cold and the rest of the roof warm from the underside. This is tricky and I don't recommend this situation, only in an emergency. Visit http://matthewsroofing.com to meet all of your roofing needs.
Sometimes the infrared investigation can be a GOOD RESULT!
This owner had questions and concerns for his building. They had a few leaks and some of the roofing contractors had a hard time finding the leaks which caused them to be concerned. We all want the real scoop. Finding the real scoop allows hitting the issues head on. Building owners worry because their roof has a few leaks. Getting a roof infrared gives a clear picture as to where the water is coming from. This building below had some issues so we performed an infrared on the building flat roof.
Commercial building to perform an infrared
The result of the scan is shown below. Some of the brighter yellows and reds are a result of some of the HVAC Units operating on the roof not that there is a significant leak. This is why it is very important to know how to read an infrared scan of your roof. Some could look at this and say, yes there are leaks all over. This is not the case. There are no leaks on this roof.
Aerial Infrared scan of the roof system.
DRONE INFRARED IMAGING
It is truly amazing that a flying machine can hover over a building and take an infrared picture! Drone Infrared Imaging has been doing this time and time again. The results are pretty Phenomenal. Even in the midst of some conditions which are less than perfect, the infrared seems to be true to form.
I have had roofing contractors test my infrared pictures to see if they are accurate. Overwhelmingly the answer has been yes. You have heard it said, "a picture is worth a thousand words". Well a drone infrared picture is worth thousands upon thousands of dollars. Contractors have been able to replace wet insulation and install new to give a secure option for owners, knowing they have a dry roof system. It has also served to send to a manufacturer a proof of dry insulation for reroof purposes or to indicate the areas of wet insulation replaced.
All blues are sporadic aluminum coating. Darker reds and white are wet insulation.
The Below picture on this post was a roof that had wet insulation. The contractor replaced the wet insulation and roofing and installed a GACO S20 100% Silicone Roof Coating with a 15-year warranty. This saved the owners over $100,000 from other contractors. These are some amazing pictures taken by Drone Infrared Imaging. No matter what your need is we are here to help.
This picture allowed the roofing contract to tear out the wet areas and replace and coat the roof.
Finished product as a result of Drone Infrared which allows owner to install GACO Coating to save thousands.
Roof Infrared Required
Building Owners, Condominium boards, Apartment complexes or any owner of a flat roof need to require an infrared scan of their roofs. A simple clause in the quote requirements which states "ROOF INFRARED REQUIRED". Infrared cameras mounted onto a drone make the process very economical for the information that one will receive. Heat losses, higher radiant heat, roof emissivity, ponding water or different colors of roofing material all play a part in proper determination of what is going on under your roof system.
Core samples
Yes a core sample of your roof can tell how many roof layers are installed over the deck. It can also tell where there is moisture within the core sample. However it is only giving a microcosm of the roof system's moisture trapped under the roof system. Core samples can help the roofing contractor determine how many layers, how thick the roof is, whether there is insulation and possibly how difficult it is to tear off the roof system. The best scenario and the most economical is to find out the existing roof can be roofed over.
The radiant heat from this roof is proving there is very little or no wet insulation. This proved to be true and was confirmed by the roofing contractor.Reroof vs Tear Off
There should always be an infrared scan if the existing roof is going to be re-roofed. Roof infrared required should be inserted into every roof proposal with the option of a reroof. Larger buildings can have a roof infrared performed quickly and efficiently. This will tell the contractor as well as the owner just how much wet insulation will need to be removed during the reroof process. Tearing off an existing roof is a different story. All the roofing and insulation will be removed and disposed of. A roof infrared should be brought in on the front end to determine the roof's need to be tore off.
Drone Infrared Imaging provides quick assessmentsWe used to have a saying in my many years of roofing, "If it looks good, it is good". Let's not take the saying to far and let's only apply it to roofing. Is it always true, no. Most of the time, however, it is.
Where should you start to assess your roof? Drones provide a quick overview of properties. You can tell a lot from a different perspective. Pictures, video and infrared scans can reveal a lot about your roof. A trained professional can recognize damage and or irregularities in the roof system immediately by sending a drone with an HD camera in the air. An owner or a manager should start with a quick assessment to determine if they need to go deeper in the inspection process.
One of two things will happen. Repairs are detected through looking at the in flight screen or photographs taken. This could mean further inspection is needed. Or no further inspection is needed because the roofs look good. Talk about money savings!
Infrared Roof Photographs
The above is also true of infrared imaging. The featured picture shows the buildings in the foreground which need to be replaced. The buildings in the background have been replaced. Therefore not all roofs are in need of further inspection. The radiant heat being emitted from the front roofs is significant, as seen below. The larger dark blue areas are actually areas of ponding water on the roof. Insulation saturated with water collapses over time. As a result, areas of ponding water become more numerous. Allow Drone Infrared Imaging the opportunity to provide you with the information you need to make smart educated decisions.
Have a roof inspection done today!
A roof inspection is good to do every year. A commercial roof is a very large expense. If you wait until your roof leaks through the ceiling to start caring for your roof, you've waited far to long. At Drone Infrared Imaging one of our specialties in roof inspections. Roofs of all ages need to have inspections. I don't know what it is about flat roofs but things happen up there. Anything from people vandalizing to bullets puncturing the roof from people shooting in the air. What goes up must come down. Yes I have seen it. Animals can cause havoc on a roof. People storing things on the roof can also damage a roof. And lastly one of the biggest causes of a commercial flat roof being damaged is neglect.
Core sample of a flat roof
One of the most important part of an inspection is to do a core sample to know what is going on. The above pictures reveals a poured concrete deck with multiple layers of felt and tar. It also have a modified bitumen cap sheet. We know from this that a leak would take a lot of time to penetrate all the way through the concrete. As a result, inspections for this type of roof should be performed often. By that I mean once or twice a year.
A roof inspection is not an expensive proposition. They range anywhere from $450-$1200 per building. They could cost a little more depending on the circumstances. Or they could cost less depending on how many buildings. At Drone Infrared Imaging we can also provide an aerial picture and or an infrared picture of you roof. This would all depend on what service you would prefer for your roof. Thanks for checking out my blog. We look forward to hear from you. Drone Infrared Imaging.
Roof System x-ray (sort of read on)
A roof system x-ray or better known as an infrared of your roof system, performed with a drone, can be both cost-effective and eye-opening. The featured picture is an infrared of the below building. Drone Infrared Imaging flew about 80' off the ground to capture the below image. The pvc roof system has seen its better days. The roof is now dull and dingy. The black stained areas usually have to do with the lack of drainage on the system. A roof that has poor drainage does not mean those areas are leaking. In this example, it is revealed that it is opposite.
What would a roof consultant say?
A roof consultant would probably recommend a complete tear off for this roof system. Good plan if the owner of the building could afford it. The infrared drone is just reading the moisture of the layer of insulation directly under the roof system. It can't read the other layer which is under the initial roof system and over the deck. The only way to know the moisture content in that layer would be to investigate leaks by doing a series of core samples.
Infrared Scan helps to provide economical roof system option
The roofing contractor removed the top layer of roofing. The infrared helped make this decision. The moisture did not penetrate the initial layer of insulation over the deck so they could leave that roof in place. This made it very affordable and something that the owner was willing to do. The requirements for roof insulation are very high. Roof insulation is now the highest component of the roof system. A recovery board was installed instead of all the different layers of insulation which saved money. There was a labor saving by not tearing off the bottom roof. As a result, a building owner was happy!
When should I hire a Roof Consultant?
Never, if you want to make the mistake that so many others in your shoes have made. Understanding your roof system and have a professional make some decisions regarding that roof can go a long way in saving you money in the end. Also a lot of building owners, property managers, condominiums, apartments need the security of hiring a roof consultant.
What would a Roof Consultant do for me?
He should make a clear and concise assessment of your roof. He should know every component of the roof system from the deck to the top layer of roofing. There should be an explanation of how he got to the decision of picking the roof system he chose. Pictures are a must for explaining each item involved in the roof system. We at Drone Infrared Imaging, use a drone with a HD Camera to allow us to capture pictures and video to put in our presentation.
Specifications are probably the most important piece to the puzzle because it keeps everyone on the same page. How many times have we been in a position of making a decision based on three or four different types of roofing systems. This leaves us guessing which roof system will be best for our situation and it leaves the door wide open for massive price differences. If all contractors are bidding from the same specification then the price differences should be small. Roofing contractors tend to give better pricing if they know they are bidding the same system and are bidding against other who are doing the same.
The last piece is to decide on a roofing contractor to confirm their pricing and set up the project. The consultant can also be involve with the entire roof project to make sure things are getting done correctly. Aerial photography can be taken periodically to inform all involved where we are at in the progress of the roof project. Video Overview of a Roof ProjectWhat about Roof Consultant pricing?
There are many price points which can be used. The consultant can just assess the roof system currently install to see if repair can be done which would be a low-cost item. Or they can be involved in the whole roof replacement process from start to finish relieving the burden of others having to take large amounts of time and energy out of our busy schedules. All price points will be available after an assessment of the project is done depending on how small or large the project is.
Aerial Photography
Aerial Photography in roofing can highlight any project from start to finish. Any contractor can use these services. Aerial Photography can be used as a safety check, project progress or project completion photographs. This is a completed roof photograph with no editing, just a raw photograph shot by DJI Inspire 1 pro camera. What is amazing is that during the time of the photograph it was abundantly windy yet the picture turned out clear. These amazing machines can be used for so much and will continue to be used for so much more as we learn all of there capabilities.
Aerial Video
One of the most impressive features of a drone is the ability to capture 4k video. What we are trying to achieve is a butter smooth video to be used on some type of promo website hopefully capturing the magnitude of this building Front of Building Video 1. This building seems to go on forever, but with the help of a professional drone we can capture a new perspective or as one person on the ground said as he was watching me film on my Ipad, "The building doesn't look so big anymore". The contractor who did the roof installation used these pictures to really impress the building owner. This in turn caused the owner to use the photos in many different departments of their company. In the end all we want is happy customers.
Commercial real estate roof inspectionwith infrared will take the unknown out of the equation in purchasing a building. With the new codes for roof insulation on a flat commercial industrial roof, commercial roofs have become a very expensive proposition. As an owner, if you are purchasing a building, an infrared scan of the roof can reveal what current owners probably don't want you to know. Moisture underneath a roof system will serve as a catalyst to deteriorate the roof system from the underside of the system. What does this mean? Replacing your roof could cost between $10-$20 per sq ft. This needs to be negotiated before the sale of the building!
The above infrared roof scan can reveal whether there is moisture trapped under the system. Is the above infrared something that will make us fearful or something that will make us feel secure? The answer is secure. The above system has very little changes in temperature all the way across the roof system thus giving it an "A" rating. There are no signs of moisture or leaks for that matter.
Drone Infrared Imaging can give security knowing for sure the roof on your future facility is in good condition. We can take the guess-work out of a roofing contractor taking core sample to see if moisture is found. ONE other important point: Roof insulation can absorb a lot of water before it actually leaks into the building. So just asking if there are any leaks is not a good determination that the roof is safe and sound.
This picture allowed the roofing contract to tear out the wet areas and replace and coat the roof.
What would a roof consultant say?
A roof consultant would probably recommend a complete tear off for this roof system. Good plan if the owner of the building could afford it. The infrared drone is just reading the moisture of the layer of insulation directly under the roof system. It can't read the other layer which is under the initial roof system and over the deck. The only way to know the moisture content in that layer would be to investigate leaks by doing a series of core samples.
Infrared Scan helps to provide economical roof system option
The roofing contractor removed the top layer of roofing. The infrared helped make this decision. The moisture did not penetrate the initial layer of insulation over the deck so they could leave that roof in place. This made it very affordable and something that the owner was willing to do. The requirements for roof insulation are very high. Roof insulation is now the highest component of the roof system. A recovery board was installed instead of all the different layers of insulation which saved money. There was a labor saving by not tearing off the bottom roof. As a result, a building owner was happy!
What would a roof consultant say?
A roof consultant would probably recommend a complete tear off for this roof system. Good plan if the owner of the building could afford it. The infrared drone is just reading the moisture of the layer of insulation directly under the roof system. It can't read the other layer which is under the initial roof system and over the deck. The only way to know the moisture content in that layer would be to investigate leaks by doing a series of core samples.
Infrared Scan helps to provide economical roof system option
The roofing contractor removed the top layer of roofing. The infrared helped make this decision. The moisture did not penetrate the initial layer of insulation over the deck so they could leave that roof in place. This made it very affordable and something that the owner was willing to do. The requirements for roof insulation are very high. Roof insulation is now the highest component of the roof system. A recovery board was installed instead of all the different layers of insulation which saved money. There was a labor saving by not tearing off the bottom roof. As a result, a building owner was happy!
