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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Electrical Infrared Inspection Is The Best Way To Prevent Fires In The Home Or Business

By Corinne Daniel


Fires due to faulty electrical wiring are responsible for many fires in homes and businesses every year. Fortunately there is a way of preventing these catastrophes before they occur through electrical infrared inspection. Having this assessment done can identify problems before they become serious and ultimately prevent damage and save lives.

Conducting an infrared inspection is the best way to detect areas of concern within an electrical system. Heat is produced by when wires become worn or damaged which the IR technology picks up, making it visible to the technician on the screen of the detection equipment. Pinpointing these problems makes repair simple, less expensive, and not as likely to damage surrounding components.

Electrical inspections are the most common use of IR thermography. Wires are easily worn out over time as they have a constant flow of energy running through them, that may put the home or business at risk for fire damage. That is why it is highly advisable to have this wiring inspection done at least once a year.

One good thing about an IR scan is that it does not cause any disruption in service or require a shut-down to be performed, in fact it is best done while the system is operating with a full current load. Neither is is potentially dangerous for the technician, who need only operate the scanning cameras and does not make direct contact with any wiring. The most common types of faults found include excessive temperatures, incorrect voltage, corrosion, insulation damage, poorly ventilated equipment, loose connections, and poorly ventilated equipment. Prompt repair can correct these problems and ensure the integrity of the wiring.

Heat and increased resistance are normally produced when a component is not functioning properly and can ultimately lead to their failure. Whether this is caused by wear, oxidation, poor connections, or improper installation, it will be clearly illuminated with the testing equipment. Problem areas will be clearly identified on the survey so the home or business owner can see to it that they are corrected as soon as possible.

The best time to conduct this assessment is when the electrical system is in maximum current capacity, as to produce the highest temperatures it is capable of so any abnormalities can be clearly identified. The technician will normally check such components as fuses, control panels, circuit breakers, transformers, and distribution boards along with others. Anything which does not look right will merit further investigation to evaluate how serious they are.

It is to the home or business owner's advantage to ensure that this safety check is performed each year. Besides revealing any potential hazards, it can also gauge if all components are working up to their expected standards. Once a building is given a "clean bill of health" electrically homeowners will feel more secure and businesses will feel free to proceed normally with their production plans.

An annual electrical infrared inspection is an investment that more than pays for itself in the potential damage cost it saves the property owner. Early detection means quicker and cheaper repairs that will not be allowed to reach the point where they can become a fire hazard. Given the nature of wires it is very important to attend to this important measure regularly.




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