Here are some questions sent in by readers of this website who are looking to utilise infrared services. This should give you an ideas where the money is for thermographers…

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Hi, We have a 6 Story 2 Basement unit block at South Brisbane. There has been water leaking into the lift shaft, not just the base but from up above also. We have had roof repairs done as well as waterproofing of the base. However, water is still entering from somewhere up above the lift motors and we do not know if it is from plumbing or water ingress from rain.

Would you be able to give us a quote to check this out.

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Hi, I have a problem with a leak in a downstairs bedroom. The water is coming in when it rains and we don’t know how it si getting in. We subsequently have a mould problem in the room. Can someone come and give me an interior leak scan please. Fridays are best for me if possible.
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I’d like to find out what it costs to do a “Quick Scan” (as advertised
on your website) for locating potential water pipe or possibly other
sources of leaks within walls. If possible I would also like a quote
for a complete scan (i.e. the one with a written report). This is a
for a 3 bedroom, 1 bath plus 1 ensuite house
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Hi,

I was enquiring into the costs for detecting a water leak that I have at my property. Water is leaking from one level of the house down onto the balcony below. I do not believe that it is a balcony leak as the water is entering into the bedroom. The balcony is stepped down from this level.

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Hi, enquiring the cost of pool leak detection. I’m located at Riverview near Lane Cove. There would possibly be two pools to investigate as my neighbor also has a problem. I suspect both are cracked piping.

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Hi, I am currently having some leak issues at a Hair Salon located in Paddington – unfortunately the damage does seem quite severe, with plasterboard beginning to become very “mushy” and “mouldy” and tiles have begun falling off the wall.

Can you please provide a quote to carry out thermal imaging works and provide a written report as to the extent of the problem.

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Hi, After last nights heavy rain we have been surprised by a serious water leak during the rain period flowing through the joint of one of our upper kitchen cupboards! …we have never had such a problem and we are very concerned as the inside of the cupboard is already showing early signs of swelling.

It is a large 2 storey home, with an upper level above the leaking area…I am at a loss as to where to start to look for the source of the leak so I found your services whilst googling.

Here are some of the questions we get asked daily (especially for finding leaks in buildings and houses, and mold problems)… this will give you a better idea of the best uses for thermal imaging cameras in Australia.

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Q. I live in Adelaide (Henley beach Sth), and have a leak in a few sections of my house. I believe the water is coming into the window frames, but I am not sure. What is the cost for an inspection and what camera do you use?

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Q. I have a hot water under slab leak and have been trying to find anyone who does thermal detection in the Taree, Forster area of New South Wales

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Q. There is a leak in my house which is making the carpet wet regularly and the plumbers and other handyman couldn’t find the source of this leak.

 Is it possible to detect the source of the leak using this service? There is no need to detect the fact that there is a leak which is known currently. If it possible could you please give me a quote for the work and also details on how this is done.

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Q. Hi. I have a leak in my hot water system. Recently I have noticed two warm  tiles;  one on the floor in the laundry and the other in the toilet.  Yesterday I removed the tile in the laundry to find a damp patch  (however I did not locate the pipes).

I turned off the hot water system over night. This morning when I  turned the system back on I could hear the pipes filling back up – it  appears that the leak is sufficient to drain the pipes over a few 
hours. Other than the warm tiles ( and the damp patch I uncovered  yesterday) there is no sign of any leaks – I assume the water is  tracking under the tiles and out of the house.

As the bathroom, laundry and toilet are all tiled I would rather find  the leak before calling a plumber in. Could you advise if this is  something that you can do, how long the process would take, when you  could undertake the work and the cost.

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Q. Hi just thinking of buying a home but can see mold is on the walls and are worried there are leaks.

Was wondering how to get a quote and how much it will cost for you to take a look. Also looks like mold is in everyroom – is it expensive to fix – what do we do about the mold who can we contact for a quote to remove and fix the problems.

Also tips on the legal side for selling a property – should we ask the real estate if there is any mold history – if they say no – can we buy the house then bill them the cost of removing it – i cant find any information on obligations of the seller.

a little bird did tell me they hard tarp in one room – the owner has removed tarp for viewing and no mention has been made – the house is quite cheap – any tips or reference points?

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Q. Hi, I’m looking at purchasing a 5 year old unit. Part of the Roof for the living and bed room is a balcony on the top side.

Some comes are purchase new or used thermal infrared imaging cameras for use in house, whilst other companies will hire a professionally trained infrared thermographer to complete their thermographic survey… and in many cases, on an annual or bi-annual basis.

Here’s an example of how electrical thermal imaging reports can assist your company….

If your an electician looking for job opportunites, then there are some very good options for level 1 electrical thermal imaging training courses in Australia… and also online courses for thermography. You simply need to weigh up if you are best off staying at arms length to the infrared camera process to avoid the perception of a conflict of interest, and get a qualified electrical thermographic survey specialist in who already owns a thermal imaging camera… so you also avoid the up-front cost of buying the camera… or do you remain independant?

Take the time to explore the business opportunites in the thermal imaging industry, as there are many applications to make money with once you ‘dig into’ the business. Here’s a book that talks about different ways to get customers and build up a thermal camera business in Australia… or anywhere in the world! Book details here

Fluke infrared cameras have developed themselves a reputation as one of the ‘main players’ in the thermography market, with the development of some very low cost, robust hand held infrared imagers.

There are several Fluke thermal imaging cameras suppliers and distributors in Australia, so you can shop around for the best price and opinions from various companies who sell Fluke Thermal Cameras in Australia. At the end of the day, all the different distributors can give you all the advice about the camera you need… then it comes down to the pricing of tthe their cameras compared to other brands with similar specs. Don’t forget to ask about the all important warranty, just incase you buy one that is malfuntioning for some unforseen reason.

What are the different makes and models of Fluke infrared cameras?

Fluke Ti10
Fluke Ti20 Thermal Imager
Fluke Ti25
The Fluke Ti32 infrared cameras
The Fluke Ti40 and Ti45 models
The Ti50 or Ti55 models Optimized for building envelope, restoration, inspection, and much more

Fluke TiR Series
TiR1
The Fluke TiR2 thermal imagers for Quick and accurate thermal inspection
The Fluke TiR3
Fluke TiR4 thermal imagers
The Fluke TiR32

Although the M4 camera has had a great run with sales in Australia and the USA, the end of the production line happened in 2oo9. So the only opportunity to buy a MobIR M4 for a cheap price would most likely be 2nd hand, unless one of the distributors purchased a bulk buy for Wuhan Guide in China.

The M8 infrared thermal imaging camera has now been upgraded. Some of the early models in the original production apparently had a few glitches… but that has all been sorted out now according to the manufacturer, so now it looks like a great buy!

M8 – Features Advantages and Benefits
Auto focus for both IR and visual image fast (ZipZip) and best focus by pressing one button only – quickbuttons 2 places on camera for ergonomical fitness. effeciently save your inspection time, manual electric focus also possible.
New leading edge low span camera. All newer 2010 M8 cameras have extreem low span settings in both manual and auto modes. Make crispy IR images with lots of contrast – Span possible in manual mode down to 3 deg cel. & in the two new auto modes ( Standard and PALM ). User can get 6 and 3 deg cel. deep detailed thermal span analysis. Gives extreme IR image analysis which in combination with new multi-colorbars pinpoint much more faults than in competition cameras. Also usefull for monitoring on longer distances and perfect for dewpoint findings etc.

Building and low span version is delivered as a standard in all newer M8 cameras after Jan. 2010. make extreme low span analysis with a standard M8 camera. Hold the OK button down for 2 seconds to enter low span mode.

Gives extreme IR images not seen before in an 160×120 pixels IR camera – M8 is the top leader in its group – for deep down analysis.

Magnalium housing “1. far more robust and shock-resistant compared with plastic housings & it ensures better EMC
Light weight due mix of Aluminia & Magnesium for superior strengthness. Rubber coat-painting for sequred hand grip.” “1.

nsures the normal working in environments with electromagnetic interference;
2. You won’t  feel tired after long time work. 3. Best way for getting noice less IR images in industrial areas of use.”
Compact design Ergonomical designed & easy to hold and carry in workdresses. Designed to sell – alike the iPhone – customers gets the feeling “I Must Have” – gives also easy and joyfull use, its like or easier than using your own mobile phone.
Direct pushbutton access on main unit / More Functionality by 1 click – long over normal user levels! Many direct and secondary buttons – designed so all major thermal functions is available by a short or long click on one button. Easy and very fast access to what you want to analyse and record.
Innovative AGT (auto gate technology) not only functions as shutter but also lens cap, free from all disturbing heat caused by optics and electronics inside ensures the most stable and accurate temperature reading;protects the camera’s sensitive optics and detectors.
LCD display has 3 slide-in menus User selects the approiate menu – and it slides professional into the LCD. Also many sub-menus which guide’s the user through he’s job in easiest new way ever seen. 3 main menus can be shown at same time – operation of camera is possible with a 3 menus active too – it is shown as transflective menus with fold out functionality.
Live video recording – RealTime temperature datastreaming records complete tepmerature information of the target in certain period and speed ( FPS variable by user). can be used for on-line process monitoring and analyse temperature changing trendency, make inspection work and post-analysis more effective
R/T and Still IR Images can be recorded on 3 different M8 medias R/T recordings on internal speedRAM, MiniSD cards and via USB 2.0 cables to harddrives on any PC. Makes a varity of different use, operator can decide how and where to keep the data streams. Possible to record an active IR data video even if the loose media card is forgotton at home or full already !
Auto capture / Time interval recordings. helps to monitor temperature change at certain time interval helps much for long time live recording work and save your storage space. Free your hands.
Angle-adjustable LCD delivers various viewing angles ensures clear and easy image presentation at different angles, especially for the places hard to reach
2.0 Megapixel CMOS offers high resolution visual image better assists finding the trouble spot & know better about inspection environment and target
Infrafusion overlays the thermal image directly on the corresponding visual image for comparison and problems locating helps to identify where the problem exactly is
Laser locator locates the center point of the IR image helps to locate where the problem exactly is
5 modes of operation delivers various operation methods satisfies requirements from various application environments
Touch screen offers easy & fast operation by touch pen, select menu’s and control you regions of interest as points or freehand drawn areas. enables complicated analysis and parameter adjustment on board with touch pen that can not be realized easily by buttons, arrows. Works as a PC mouse; brings unparalleled convenience for operation. Use your fingertips or the build-in touchpen.
“Versatile accessories
1.Silicon rubber protecting jacket
2.Tele lens, wide angle lens, high temperature range (350℃, or 1200℃)
3.Battery cover with tripod interface
4.Sun shield cover
5.LED lamp
6.IR Remote controller” delivers more value-added functions to the camera “1. to protect the camera in harsh environments
2. to view relatively far object, to have wider scope, to measure object with high temperature
3. for stationary applications
4. for outdoor inspections
5. for inspections in dark
6. give shake free recordings even at high FPS selection.”
USB 2.0 Realtime image, video data transfer to PC and real-time control of the camera on PC realizes video transfer and operation control. User can record or just monitor the IR sreams on his PC screen – very powerfull for online monitoring of example print circurts QC. And other LAB jobs.
Analog video output realtime PAL/NTSC thermal video output convenient for demonstration and online monitoring, PAL/NTSC switchable on one camera satisfies customers from different countries and areas
RS232 interface easily control the camera by PC via RS232 cable allows handy control the camera remotely, especially in R&D application.
M8 is UNIQUE calibrated to +-1,0 cel. +- 1% of reading in temperature area 0…+100 Cel. Very sharp and unique adjusted ir camera, no competition do that except Wuhan Guide Infrared Co., Ltd.. Gives trustfull analyses in main temp. area used. Over +100 Cel is alowed only +-2 cel +-2% of reading as usual – note several Fluke models is only calibrated to +- 5 cel +-5% !
Medical edition the accuracy can arrive 0.5 degree special for fever sensing, and veterinarian diagnose
Possible to get M8 in special colors makes your client happy Client can choose color to fit his job or firm color.
Possible to get M8 in special versions or OEM version also. Makes you always possible to close a sales. Any solution can be captured by M8 and Guide – we help you to be sure to get the business.
Lighted Top Panel Top panel has lighted buttons The easy controlled joypad & light can be used timeout programmed for lowest battery use.
Vehicle mounting Camera is eminent for car roof mounting or boat and police cars too, click of and continue searches by hand operations. Perfect for moving security and for inspection of hotwater pipelines insulations faults in grounds as well as security for military and police officers.
Free included with M8 Camera comes superior powerfull PC sowftware, no options possible – all served with our camera delivery. PC software with auto report generation & deep IR-analysis also RealTime recordings in an easy way of guide functionality. Any job is possible for user by PC freeware SW. Its update regulary and new versions can be downloaded from website www.guide-infrared.com. Live trending, & real-time recording & play, object analysis on active IR data videos,and etc.
Huge Li-Ion battery in M8 3500 mAmp Li-ion battery gives up to 4 hours drive. Supplied with 2 batteries gives a full days working time. Also possible to charge battery inside the camera by supplied adaptor. And in same time charge the 2 battery in the USB battery socket; in this way user can charge 2 batteries in same time with std. supplied charger and a notebook or users own USB Net adaptor – This is NOT POSSIBLE by any other camera on the market just now Feb. 2010.
NO Goverment limitations No need for US gov. Approvals Free for lease, loan and rental use, and can be freely caried over borders.
Guide European Company Local Euro slaes Support /Training Sales supported with European office , stock, service center and educational programs.

FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) would be the largest manufacturer of thermal imager cameras for sale in the world. No matter what you need the IR camera for, be it helicopter operations, termites or home heat loss inspections, they would make an infrared camera suited for the application.

Below is a list of the most popular FLIR thermal imaging camera models, software, systems, distributors, prices and performance specs.  (Some cameras even come with level one thermography online training courses!)

I SERIES

Flir i4o

Flir i5

Flir i7

Flir i50

Flir i60

FLIR – P SERIES

Thermacam P65

Thermacam P640

Thermacam P50F and P25F

FLIR – E SERIES

Thermacam E300

Thermacam E45

Thermacam E320

FLIR – B SERIES

Thermacam B2

Thermacam B4

Thermacam B20

Thermacam B20HS

Thermacam B640

FLIR – A SERIES

Thermacam A40-M

Thermacam A40-V

Thermacam A20-M

Thermacam A20-V

S SERIES:

Thermacam S65

Thermacam S45

Thermacan S65HS

Other Models: Low cost and afforable FLIR infrared thermal imaging cameras.

BCAM

BCAM SD

INFRACAM SD

One important step to take to become an effective infrared thermographer, is at least a level 1 infrared training course. Thermal imaging cameras have so many different applications they can be used for, but the basic principals remain the same, no matter what type of infrared camera you own.

Who teaches level 1 thermography courses in Australia?

If you look around online, you’ll see several training organisations that can teach you infrared theory courses… so make sure you shop around and work out pricing, what it’ll cost to get you to the course, lodging etc etc.

Are there any other options for training?

Yes… you can do an online course from the comfort of your own home. The only difference is, is that you do the final exam live via webcam. You will be issued with a thermal imaging level 1 certification certificate at the end of it.

Once you get a healthy amount of thermal imaging inspections under your belt, then you can go on and do level 2 and level 3 thermography training courses as time goes by and you find new applications for the camera.

Once you’ve completed your course, you then need a thermal infrared imaging camera if you don’t have one already. If you decide to do a live training course classroom style, then it might be a good idea to find out if the company sells IR cameras, and what brand. Ideally they would sell different brands so you can see and compare thermal camera prices and functionalities.

Once your up and running with your new business, make sure you head over to findaleak.com.au and advertise you business online in your area… before any of your competitors do!

$5000 - will get you a low cost thermal infrared camera which you could use for basic energy audits, some electrical imaging and possibly moisture inspections.

$5001 – $15000 – Will certainly give you all the above applications… and in addition you could use it for imaging small electronic components, leaks, latent moisture, termite thermal imaging, equine thermography and most standard applications with good quality images.

$15001+ – All of the above application with excellent quality images in mosts cases… and most applications you can think of excluding aerial thermal imaging.

Thermal imaging camera prices in Australia will vary depending on the distributor and the brand they sell. There’s a few reasons the price of an infrared camera could vary:

1) The distributor purchased the camera from overseas when the Aussie Dollar was weak;

2) You might find a distributor is overstocked with one particular type of thermal infrared camera and wants to move the stock.

3) The price of a used thermal imaging camera can vary wildly based on factors such as… how many hours it’s been used, if it’s scratched, does it have a warrenty, are all the extras included etc etc.

You’ll find that you won’t come across too many second infrared cameras, because most people keep them as a part time or future business.