IR School

[Dale Duffy]

Originally Posted by gromicko

I recommend that you use the camera (when no one is looking) on actual inspections for several months. Use the camera first, try to determine what you think it is telling you, then physically confirm (with the naked eye) what is actually going on. There are times when you won't be actually able to confirm what is going on, but there are many times when you will be able to. Only after the determinations made with the camera become consistent with the actual confirmations should you bring the camera out for your consumers to benefit from.

I think so also Nick.....thanks,,!

[Dale Duffy]

Originally Posted by wdecker

Dale. Call me of you need me. I just want to help.

I understand, but your post could be taken otherwise.

Yep...sometime folks take words the wrong way.

I try and stick to the point (I thought I was anyway)....

I will call you ole' buddy if I need anything...thanks for the offer, it's great having guys like you and the others here that make me proud to be a member..!!!

[William Warner]

This is the course I took. I highly recommend it as it is geared specifically toward IR use in residential inspections and not just IR theory with a little bit of application knowledge mixed in. It gives you a huge head start into residential application and EIFS inspections.

http://www.home-inspect.com/courses/infrared.asp

These guys are home inspectors like us with lots of experience in IR as it applies to residential inspection and not simply Level II thermographers teaching a general IR course to a vast array of fields and backgrounds.

[Jeremiah Anderson]

Hey Kevin,

Thanks for the link.

[Jim Seffrin]

Dear Dale:

Aside from purchasing an infrared camera, training is the most important investment you will make. Proper training combined with knowledge of the structure being inspected is of paramount importance for conducting accurate infrared inspections.

While most infrared imagers are simple to operate, properly interpreting data is not that straightforward. This is especially true for building inspections where there are an infinite number of materials and systems interacting with each other under a wide range of weather and site conditions. To say that thermography is easy would be similar to claiming that building inspections are easy - something we all know to be untrue.

At present, the use of thermography in legal cases is on the rise. During the past 20 years I have worked as an expert witness on several cases involving the use of thermography. In every case, thermographer training was always thoroughly examined. To this end, every thermographer should work to ensure that his/her training is as thorough and complete as possible and make certain that it stays current.

In addition to expanding the services of a home or building inspector, themography can generate significant revenue. With proper training and the correct equipment, a professional thermographer can easily generate a gross revenue of over $200,000 per year. This is in addition to the services that you already offer!

If you are interested in pursuing the many and varied applications of infrared thermography, I would invite you to attend the Infraspection Institute Level I Certiifed Infrared Thermographer® training course before you purchase infrared equipment (see below). These courses are held regularly in the Philadelphia area throughout the year. This same information is also available through our Distance Learning program.

All of our cutting-edge infrared training courses are taught by highly-experienced thermographers in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere without marketing hype. For more information call 609-239-4788 or visit us at www.infraspection.com.

I hope this is helpful and wish you the best of luck in your thermographic endeavors.

Jim Seffrin, Director
Infraspection Institute

www.infraspection.com




IRINFO.ORG Tip of the Week July 12, 2004

Training & Equipment: Which First?


We’ve all heard the phrase, “Put the horse before the cart.” When it comes to thermography, many people put the cart in front of the proverbial horse by buying infrared equipment before obtaining proper training.

Purchasing the correct imager is a challenge for many reasons: initial purchase price can be costly, no imager is capable of performing all applications, imager performance varies widely, and available specifications are frequently exaggerated.

Further compounding this challenge is that many manufacturers offer “free training courses” as sales incentives to purchasers of new equipment. Frequently these free courses are taught by inexperienced/unqualified instructors, are introductory in nature, and are designed as operator courses for the subject equipment omitting important theory or applications. Because these courses are taught after equipment is delivered, inexperienced purchasers lack the knowledge required to make an informed decision when selecting new equipment.

In order to properly select and specify infrared equipment, buyers should put the horse before the cart by receiving quality certification training from an independent institute prior to equipment purchase. For new users, training should include infrared theory and heat transfer concepts, equipment selection and operation, image capture and analysis, standards compliance, applications-specific inspection techniques, documentation of findings, and temperature measurement techniques.


For more Infrared Tips of the Week visit: http://www.irinfo.org/tip_of_week.html

[Jim Seffrin]

Dear Dale:

Aside from purchasing an infrared camera, training is the most important investment you will make. Proper training combined with knowledge of the structure being inspected is of paramount importance for conducting accurate infrared inspections.

While most infrared imagers are simple to operate, properly interpreting data is not that straightforward. This is especially true for building inspections where there are an infinite number of materials and systems interacting with each other under a wide range of weather and site conditions. To say that thermography is easy would be similar to claiming that building inspections are easy - something we all know to be untrue.

At present, the use of thermography in legal cases is on the rise. During the past 20 years I have worked as an expert witness on several cases involving the use of thermography. In every case, thermographer training was always thoroughly examined. To this end, every thermographer should work to ensure that his/her training is as thorough and complete as possible and make certain that it stays current.

In addition to expanding the services of a home or building inspector, themography can generate significant revenue. With proper training and the correct equipment, a professional thermographer can easily generate a gross revenue of over $200,000 per year. This is in addition to the services that you already offer!

If you are interested in pursuing the many and varied applications of infrared thermography, I would invite you to attend the Infraspection Institute Level I Certiifed Infrared Thermographer® training course before you purchase infrared equipment (see below). These courses are held regularly in the Philadelphia area throughout the year. This same information is also available through our Distance Learning program.

All of our cutting-edge infrared training courses are taught by highly-experienced thermographers in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere without marketing hype. For more information call 609-239-4788 or visit us at www.infraspection.com.

I hope this is helpful and wish you the best of luck in your thermographic endeavors.

Jim Seffrin, Director
Infraspection Institute

www.infraspection.com




IRINFO.ORG Tip of the Week July 12, 2004

Training & Equipment: Which First?


We’ve all heard the phrase, “Put the horse before the cart.” When it comes to thermography, many people put the cart in front of the proverbial horse by buying infrared equipment before obtaining proper training.

Purchasing the correct imager is a challenge for many reasons: initial purchase price can be costly, no imager is capable of performing all applications, imager performance varies widely, and available specifications are frequently exaggerated.

Further compounding this challenge is that many manufacturers offer “free training courses” as sales incentives to purchasers of new equipment. Frequently these free courses are taught by inexperienced/unqualified instructors, are introductory in nature, and are designed as operator courses for the subject equipment omitting important theory or applications. Because these courses are taught after equipment is delivered, inexperienced purchasers lack the knowledge required to make an informed decision when selecting new equipment.

In order to properly select and specify infrared equipment, buyers should put the horse before the cart by receiving quality certification training from an independent institute prior to equipment purchase. For new users, training should include infrared theory and heat transfer concepts, equipment selection and operation, image capture and analysis, standards compliance, applications-specific inspection techniques, documentation of findings, and temperature measurement techniques.


For more Infrared Tips of the Week visit: http://www.irinfo.org/tip_of_week.html

[Greg Bell]

Hi Jim,

Welcome to the board. I am really looking forward to meeting you in Orlando in January. Thank you for giving a special program for NACHI members at your conference.

I hope that you and your family have a Merry Christmas.

[Hank Vanderbeek]

Well put Nick.