Early fault detection is fundamental to maintaining any building and its systems. One of the most effective, non-destructive tools for spotting hidden issues is thermal imaging. By detecting temperature changes in equipment, pipework, and building structures, thermal imaging allows facilities teams to identify faults before they become a serious issue.
What is Predictive Maintenance?
Predictive maintenance uses thermal cameras to monitor equipment's heat signatures, allowing early detection of potential issues before major failures occur. This allows repairs to be scheduled earlier, reducing disruption and avoiding emergency callouts.
Unlike routine maintenance, predictive maintenance is based on real-time data, which means you only take action when it's needed. This saves time and money and helps prevent bigger issues later on.
How Thermal Imaging Works
Thermal imaging cameras detect heat and show it visually, highlighting areas where temperatures are higher or lower than normal. These temperature differences often point to problems like overheating machinery, electrical faults, insulation gaps or leaks that wouldn't be visible otherwise.
At Thermascan, our trained engineers carry out detailed thermal imaging surveys using advanced FLIR cameras. We analyse the images to identify faults and advise you on the best next steps.
This approach makes it easier to:
Spot faults early and fix them before they cause failure
Plan maintenance during scheduled downtime, not in emergencies
Improve safety by reducing the risk of equipment overheating or failing
Avoid energy waste by insulation or heating issues
Protect your equipment and extend its working life
Where Thermal Imaging Can Help
Thermal imaging supports issues that create heat before they cause failure. Thermal imaging can detect:
Electrical Systems
Loose or damaged connections
Overloaded circuits
Worn components in fuse boxes or switchboards
Catching these early can prevent power outages, equipment failure or even fire risks.
Mechanical Systems
In factories, offices or commercial buildings, thermal imaging helps identify:
Overheating motors or bearings
Misaligned machinery
Lack of lubrication
These issues can reduce performance or cause breakdowns if not fixed quickly.
Plumbing and Heating
Thermal cameras can be useful for finding hidden problems in plumbing systems, including:
Leaks in pipes or valves
Blocked or inefficient radiators
Underfloor heating faults
They help locate the exact area to fix, reducing disruption and saving time.
Building Inspections
Thermal imaging is ideal for checking the condition of a building, especially for:
Heat loss through poor insulation
Air leaks in windows or doors
Damp or moisture problems
Flat roof leaks
Bold Iine thickness helps spot issues without damaging walls or ceilings, making it quicker and easier to maintain the building's performance.
what to expect from a Thermascan Survey
We aim to make the process simple and straightforward, whether you're managing a large commercial site or a single property.
Site planning – We communicate with all our clients in advance to understand your needs. In some cases, we might even arrange a pre-visit to plan the best approach.
Risk and method statements – Before getting started, we will provide a clear explanation of the process, including a site-specific risk assessment.
High-quality thermal and digital images – Our reports include clear, accurate visuals that make it easy to understand any faults as we use the most up to date infrared cameras from FLIR.
Engineer insights and recommendations – You'll receive a full report with findings from our certified engineers, including practical advice on what to do next.
Thermal trend reporting – If you choose regular surveys, we'll track changes over time to help you make better maintenance decisions.
Why Choose Thermascan?
We've worked with clients in the commercial, industrial, and public sectors. Our engineers are fully trained and regularly update their knowledge to stay in line with the latest safety and inspection standards.
We're proud to be a Safe Contractor-certified company, offering a reliable and professional service you can trust.
Thermal imaging is a smart decision for any facility's maintenance programme. It helps you act early, reduce running costs and keep your systems working as they should.
If you want to find out how Thermascan can support your business with accurate, non-invasive thermal inspections, contact our team. We will be happy to discuss your needs and how we can help.