Types of Mold Inspection
by Daniel Smith

Is it necessary to call a professional for mold inspection? The answer is, Yes. Most of the houses suffer from rotted wood and water damage at some point of time. If left untreated for a long time, these damages can cost you thousands of dollars of repair. Prevention is better than restoration. Therefore it is a wise decision to go for moisture inspection to locate potential problems and take necessary measures to prevent them before they become expensive fixes.

Anderson's climate can very well produce severe storms that can make water flow into places that one can't even think of. Moisture damage is a common problem in stucco homes. The reason is that stucco homes are especially designed to keep moisture out of home. So even if a small amount of water infiltrate the stucco house it can take months to dry out.

How Water Penetrates Stucco Homes

Water can get in the house through improperly flashed or sealed windows and doors, stucco extending below grade or roof ends devoid of kick out flashing. Improper draining can block the basement, leak the wall or lead to other damages. This is a common problem in Anderson houses.

How Moisture Inspection Can Be Done?

Anderson moisture inspection can be done in two ways. While some prefer the probe method some others go for thermography. No matter which method is chosen, the inspector needs to do a visual examination first. He will check the exterior of your house to find out visible signs of moisture damage or other signs that may lead to water intrusion problems in future.

Probe Method for Moisture Inspection

This is a popular method of moisture inspection. Moisture can be tested with the use of a penetrating probe meter. The exterior of the house needs to have small holes so that the probe method can be followed. The caulking that fills the holes matched the color of the house after the test. Professionals also use moisture scanner which is very effective in identifying potential problem areas. It is followed with a probe meter.

Thermography

Thermography can be called a non-invasive technology. It uses infrared cameras for damage free moisture detection. The moisture inspector uses the infrared camera to photograph your house. It picks up heat as moisture in building materials will retain heat at another rate than that of the dry materials. Hence this inspection helps one to identify damage in ceiling, roof, floor and carpet.

With either of the methods an inspector can tell you about any hidden problem that may become severe in future. A house with excess moisture can lead to various problems like mold. Therefore every house owner needs moisture inspection on time. Get ready on time; you have easy access to online home improvement help for further assistance.

Daniel Smith is a contributing writer with various home improvement directories and blogs, who has been writing articles for more than a few years. His suggestion and opinion has proved helpful and practical to the people who are looking for a moisture inspector. You can also visit http://www.biotekmold.com to obtain the service of an "Orangeburg Moisture Inspection".


















Article Source: ArticleSnatch Free Article Directory

Infra Red Thermography (Thermal Imaging) for Use in Termite Detection in Sydney

By: Rowan Gregson

Infra red thermography is by no means a new technology, however its use in the pest management industry is quite new. Essentially thermal imaging can be used to detect variances in infra red radiation being emitted from the top 1/1000 of an inch of any surface that the camera is pointed at. This means that the workings of termites (mudding) and large groupings of termites (nests etc) can show up as a variance on the screen of a thermal camera.

In Sydney, Australia, thermal imaging has had varied results in the termite management industry due to two main factors that I will discuss. Whilst these do appear to be changing somewhat, purchasers of thermal termite inspections should be very wary.

1. Poor choice of thermal camera by the technician.

Not all thermal imaging equipment is created equal. There are many different thermal cameras on the market today that are precision scientific instruments. As with any tool, in any trade, it is important that the correct tool is chosen for each job. When carrying out a thermal inspection for termites the camera can be required to resolve a very small object. Sometimes as small as four mm square or even less. Therefore a thermal camera must be chosen that can resolve that size object at a reasonable distance from it. As a guide the ISO standard 20807 refers to a camera that has a rating of 1.5mrad or less because a camera of this specification or better will resolve a 4mm object at a distance of up to 2.3 metres. This means that an inspection can be undertaken from ground level, of most cathedral ceilings or even across a large room. A camera of lesser specifications will need to be closer to find the object and in some cases, so close, that it is prohibitive. Check what the mrad rating is, for the camera that is to be used on your job.

2. Poor or nonexistent training.

There are very few training courses available for thermal imaging and even fewer courses are available on thermal imaging in the pest management industry. The available courses are quite expensive and it appears that many of the technicians using thermal cameras in the pest management industry have done no training at all. The ISO standard 20807 sets out a minimum criterion for technicians to be qualified under. Check with your thermal imaging technician that he has certification to the standard.

To avoid the risk of being ripped off by a shady operator make sure that you do all of the research that you can and ask the above questions. If the answers that you are given are inconsistent with the requirements of the ISO standard then find another thermal imaging company.

An expert thermal imaging company in Sydney is www.Termicamcommercial.com.au Termicam is an internationally franchised thermal imaging company with franchisees in most states. Make sure that you use a properly qualified pest management professional in conjunction with your thermal inspector. In the end it is the training in conjunction with the correct tool that will end in the best results.

About the Author

Rowan has spent the last twenty five years working in many aspects of the Pest management industry. After starting his career in his families' pest control business in Central Queensland he has worked on the Sunshine coast, in Perth and has been based in Sydney for 15 years now. He has attained Certificate IV assett maintenance (pest management). Certificate IV Training and assessment, And is a level 1 Thermographer and still actively works in the termite management field. His chief interest is in the detection, identification and long term control of Termites of all species.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/

The Importance of Preventive Electrical Equipment Maintenance

When your business depends on electrical machinery and equipment for increased productivity and improved cash flow, it is extremely important to keep that machinery inspected and well-maintained on a regular basis. Preventive electrical equipment maintenance done regularly by trained, professional and experienced electrical workers help to detect electrical problems before they become serious issues. By scheduling routine maintenance checks that utilize advanced technology and expert electrical skills, the industrial equipment and machinery on which your business runs can continue working efficiently, reducing the risk of a catastrophic failure that can cost time and money. Read on to learn the benefits of preventive electrical equipment maintenance, as well as the use of infrared thermography in detecting electrical problems.

Save Time and Money:
An effective preventive electrical maintenance program involves scheduling routine inspections and checkups on a regular basis, ensuring that your equipment and machinery is continually checked for both minor and major problems. Even small electrical problems can become more severe issues if left undetected for too long, which can lead to emergency repairs that require halted production lines and costly replacement parts. In a challenging global economy that demands cost-effective mass production on a timely basis, stopping production due to equipment failure can have major setbacks.

A Safer Workplace:
Not only can preventive electrical maintenance save businesses time and money, but by keeping equipment functioning properly, the risk of hazard is greatly reduced and the work environment becomes a safer place. Electrical equipment failure can lead to serious hazards, including fires and arc flash, which can leave workers severely injured. Equipment that is not working properly or problems that are left undetected can have unfortunate results for electricians working with or near the equipment. Machinery should be inspected frequently to identify potential problems and prevent them from becoming dangers in the workplace.

Using Infrared Thermography:
The use of infrared (IR) thermography is critical to preventive maintenance in electrical work environments. All objects radiate thermal energy, or heat, and IR cameras can detect the radiation of heat that is emitted from any given object by taking "heat" images. Through a range of colors, these images present hot spots that cannot otherwise be perceived by the naked eye. IR thermography is used to reveal loose circuits, equipment failure and safety hazards. Electrical workers can then use the thermographic images to analyze and measure temperatures, identifying problems and fixing them before they become severe.

The Use of Infrared Thermography in Electrical Equipment Maintenance

There are several types of electrical maintenance, with some that work better than others. Reactive maintenance, for example, involves fixing the problem once it has already broken, which can lead to a great deal of time and money spent due to replacement costs and ceased production. Predictive maintenance, on the other hand, works to fix problems before they become serious and costly issues. Infrared (IR) thermography plays a major role in predictive electrical maintenance, and IR cameras are valuable tools that help electricians detect electrical problems early in commercial and industrial buildings. Below, learn more about infrared thermography, including how it works, its use in electrical maintenance, and the benefits of this amazing technology.

What Is Infrared Thermography?:
Infrared thermography and IR cameras detect radiation of heat that cannot otherwise be perceived by the human eye. All objects emit thermal energy, or heat, and areas of abnormal temperature can be signs of energy leaks, loose circuits, equipment failure or safety hazards. IR imaging systems have the ability to see light in the heat spectrum, taking "heat" images that reveal a range of colors that electricians can use to measure temperature and detect anomalies. Through detailed temperature analysis, electrical workers can spot and correct problems before they become severe concerns. While it may seem tedious, identifying potential problems and correcting them early can provide impressive cost savings.

Infrared Thermography and Electrical Systems:
IR thermography is extremely helpful in electrical maintenance work. Loose electrical connections can lead to increased temperature, which can cause components to fail and result in outages and possible injuries. Rising heat can lead to fires if left undetected. Some of the items inspected using this technique in the electrical industry include circuit breaker panels, power transformers, motors, motor control centers, bus connections, and air compressor, boiler and cooling system controls, and more.

Benefits of Infrared Thermography:
If you work in a company or own a company that relies extensively on electrical equipment to keep production flowing, you'll enjoy a variety of benefits for commercial and industrial businesses by taking advantage of this technology for your electrical equipment maintenance,. By inspecting electrical equipment on a regular basis with predictive maintenance and fixing problems early on through IR thermography, the risk of safety hazards is greatly reduced. IR thermography also helps businesses save time and money. Even the smallest electrical problems can become severe when left undetected, leading to equipment failures that must shut down production for expensive repairs. Finding and fixing potential electrical problems can also save valuable time. Electrical inspections should be performed regularly and can take place without disrupting normal work operations. When electrical equipment is properly maintained and inspected with IR thermography, comapanies

can save time wasted on emergency appointments and shutting down production.

Castrol Uses Stähle GmbH SMC2000 Motorcycle Robot for Differentiation Tests

One of the tools that Castrol Motor Oil uses for differentiation is "Flossie" (SMC2000) a Stahle GmbH Motorcycle Robot Rider. The SMC2000 is invaluable in test which support the Castrol core product benefits such as increased power or increased acceleration. The SMC2000 can be fitted on to any motorcycle, scooter or three (3) wheeler, such as ATVs for testing on a chassis dynamometer.

The SMC2000 is equipped with a standard self learning feature that allows it to know the gear change pattern, clutch feel and throttle response of the bike, just as any rider would on their initial drive on a motorcycle.

The SMC2000 is not your average rider, the SMC2000 is the ultimate precision rider that is able to repeat the same gear change or the same acceleration time perfectly time after time.

Benefits of using a robot driver such as the SMC2000:

• Exceptional test repeatability and reliability
• Able to withstand the excruciating noise of the motorcycle in a chamber as the motorcycle's engine screams at speeds up to 16,000 rpm
  
• Able to withstand extreme difference of temperature from -40°C to +80°C
• Never tires or becomes sore