Newsletter Archive: February 2018

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”

Although Benjamin Franklin made this statement almost 250 years ago, it still holds true for businesses today. 2017 was a year of growth and progress for Jersey Infrared Consultants. Our projects took us to all parts of the continental United States; new staff joined our firm; and we developed new uses of infrared thermography for our clients.

With the start of 2018, we continue to challenge ourselves to improve and achieve new goals. Already this year, a member of our staff has been a speaker at Infraspection Institute’s IR/INFO Conference. We are also pleased to announce the addition of a new service – Electric Field Vector Mapping. Our staff has scheduled several Lunch and Learn functions along with other informational presentations.

We look forward to working with you in the coming months as you continue to growth and and improve your business.

Jersey Infrared Consultants, pioneers in the Infrared Industry since 1984, are pleased to offer another form of non-destructive testing – Electric Field Vector Mapping, or EFVM®.
EFVM® is a type of non-destructive testing used
to locate a breach or void in a waterproofing membrane. During testing, an electrical current at low voltage is
used to create an electrical potential between a non-conductive membrane and a grounded conductive deck or substrate.
Common applications for EFVM® include quality assurance testing of newly installed waterproofing membranes prior to installation of pavers or overburden; locating sources of leaks in IRMA or uninsulated roof systems; and identifying breaches or holes in parking deck or patio membranes.
Some of the advantages of EFVM® include the following:

• Readily pinpointing the location of breaches or holes in a membrane
• Testing may be performed as soon as a membrane is applied
• Defects may be repaired and retested on the same day May be used on IRMA, ballasted, overburden, and uninsulated roof systems
• Enables repair of a breach before water has a chance to enter the roofing system
• Testing can be performed during daytime hours

Electric Field Vector Mapping complements Jersey Infrared Consultants’ existing services and allows us to test roofs that are not candidates for infrared inspections. All EFVM® testing is performed by experienced technicians using state-of-the-art equipment.

Steam traps are automatic, mechanical valves designed to help maintain steam system efficiency by discharging condensate and air from a steam system.

Because they are mechanical devices, steam traps eventually fail. Failure in an open position allows costly
steam losses to add up quickly. Failure in a closed position not only reduces steam system efficiency but also allows acidic condensate to attack steam system components. In a closed steam system, failed steam traps give no outward sign of failure.

According to some industry estimates, the industry average for steam trap failures is 50%. Such a failure rate, combined with the high cost of steam production, can account for losses
exceeding several hundred-thousand dollars annually. Jersey Infrared Consultants’ InfraSonicTM Steam System Survey can readily detect and document failed steam traps.

The first step in an InfrasonicTM Survey is to use a thermal imager to inspect the steam trap along with its supply and discharge lines. Supply line temperatures below 212°F indicate that steam is not reaching the trap. The thermal imager may then be used to help determine the cause.

The next step is to perform a contact ultrasound test. Properly working traps are generally quiet except when cycling. Typically, a hissing or a rushing sound indicates a failed trap.

Combined with timely, effective repairs, data from an InfraSonicTM Steam System Survey can help a company save thousands of dollars annually while reducing its carbon footprint.

 

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