Do the words ICE STORM bring back any memories?

If you have lived in New England for any length of time you have probably either experienced or seen ice dams on roofs. If you see ice along the bottom edge of your roof you know that you have an ice dam. Gutters and down spouts can be a solid block of ice with icicles hanging sometimes 2 or 3 feet long.

As a general contractor in Massachusetts for over 35 years, I have seen this scenario play out more times than I want to remember. A customer calls me in a panic saying that they have water leaking into their house from an ice dam. What should I do? The short answer is to chisel slots into the ice to let the water escape. This process can be dangerous, time consuming, and destructive to the roofing material below.

The long answer is not always the easy one. I know that excessive heat buildup at the bottom edge of the roof is the cause, but I can’t always see how much damage has been done or how many years this has been happening.

These problems often go unnoticed for years until a drip or stain occurs. The real frustration is assessing how much structure and insulation behind walls or ceilings has been compromised. How much moisture has traveled under a floor and to other areas? Has this now caused a mold or mildew problem?

Infrared Thermography is used as a predictive building maintenance inspection and diagnostic technique that is currently recognized worldwide as a highly effective non-destructive testing tool. At Infrared New England, we recognize that detecting and analyzing problems before something costly or catastrophic happens is your primary goal. Our ability to see more than just a thermal anomaly gives you the power to act, instead of react to problems that are exposed.

Infrared New England gives you the best advantage by using high resolution visual output infrared cameras to detect and pinpoint deficiencies in homes, commercial, industrial and institutional building facilities. Finding the source of a water leak and the mold and mildew that is often associated with moisture or detecting air leaks due to missing or faulty insulation are just a few of the services that we specialize in.

If you noticed any of these problems during the big bad storm of 2008, you may want to take precautions now to keep your home & family safe this winter!

Best Equipment= Best Results

High quality results demand high quality equipment. At Infrared New England we use only the best offered by FLIR Systems Inc. Our high resolution cameras provide both thermal and digital images with thermal gradients that are clearly defined. We use the most up to date imaging software to generate detailed reports that are e-mail friendly.

To enhance our imaging capability in the Building Science field, we employ the best in blower door technology and application science. Depressurizing a building allows thermal cameras to easily identify and document all air leaks that can bring in cold, moist, and undesirable air. Our Retrotec Q5E has the capability to create calibrated atmospheric conditions that allow us to report quantified results.

Better equipment and training shortens imaging and analysis time which reduces cost.

Give us a call so we can discuss your needs and quote a custom program to meet your budget.

Infrared Thermography & Horses

Infrared thermography is uniquely suited for the preventive maintenance and medical diagnosis of horses and other equines. The vast majority of injury related issues with horses occur in the lower legs where the animal's skin is in close proximity to all joints and ligaments. Infected hooves or inflamed joints and tendons become warmer as the body delivers more blood to the injured area to promote healing. Likewise with the jaw area as related to tooth infection. Saddles rub directly on the skin creating friction and heat which can be mapped for saddle fit adjustment.

Equine thermography senses heat differences on the surface of the skin to within fractions of degrees and detects heat patterns that pinpoint problems before they become serious. In many cases, lameness issues have been detected weeks before an onset. Regular monitoring of horses in competition training can ascertain how a treated injury is healing.

At Infrared New England we work directly with veterinarians, farriers, saddle makers, and qualified horse owners to get and keep their horse client in peak condition.


Contact us for pricing or to request our electronic or paper brochure.

Infrared Thermography used in Research &Development

Infrared imaging has become an indispensable tool for many engineering disciplines and most notably for new products. Studying the heat generation and dissipation a product in its early stages of development minimizes design iterations which dramatically reduce development costs. Products are also better designed and optimized improving their reliability, safety, and cost.

At Infrared New England we offer the entire "spectrum" of scientific infrared imaging. Our FLIR model SC660 camera is one of the most advanced thermal imaging instruments to date. These cameras provide the highest resolution images and data output available in the industry.


We can measure a steady temperature pattern as well as thermal evolution over time. We identify thermo mechanical properties caused by stress testing for break point and optimization analysis. We are capable of real time streaming video with full radiometric data and frame by frame images each with over 300K spreadsheet exportable temperature measurements to satisfy even the most serious number crunchers.


Here are some of the imaging qualifications we offer:

· Highest Resolution Images - 640 x 480
· JPEG Image Format w/ Full Radiometric Data
· 307,000 Individual Temperature Measurement Pixels
· Temperature Application Range: –40°C to 1500°C
· Thermal Sensitivity: < 45mK
· Thermal/Digital Image Fusion
· Streaming Video w/ Full Radiometric Data/Trend Analysis


Call us to discuss your needs for keeping your R&D program on the "time to market" fast track.

AAA. Air Pollution. Allergies. Asthma.

The average American spends 70%-90% of their time indoors. Building Science evaluates heat transfer, moisture transfer, and air movement as they impact a building envelope. Creating a comfortable, healthy, sustainable, and energy efficient living environment is the end goal of all building science.

Research conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and The American Lung Association confirms that indoor air quality is the largest growing concern for both commercial and residential buildings. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has recently ranked indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental health risks in the United States.

New buildings can often compromised from the start. Infrared thermography is fast becoming recognized as a valuable tool in the building commissioning process for commercial and government buildings. Similarly, new homes and residential complexes can greatly benefit from an infrared scan in order to detect any problems before they become serious liabilities.

At Infrared New England we treat your building as a complete environmental system. We are committed to helping our clients find solutions to their building concerns. Our report documents the condition of your building and offers recommendations to optimize its efficiency.

Here are some of the many conditions we identify:

>Total Heat Loss
>Moisture Intrusion
>Insufficient Insulation
>HVAC Imbalances
>Inadequate Air Sealing
>Electrical Hot Spots
>Radiant Heat Maps
>Pipe Leaks
>Roof Leaks
>Ice Dams
>Block Wall Grout Deficiencies
>Mold Growth

Give us a call or email us to discuss your needs or to request a sample report.

What We Do...

Infrared New England offers high quality thermal imaging to the Building Science, Research & Development, and Equine Science markets. For those in the building community we use the art of infrared thermography and apply it with our knowledge of Building Science to identify moisture problems, heat loss concerns, and indoor air quality issues. If scientific temperature data is necessary for your company's Research and Development project, we can generate quantified precision heat analysis and trending data. If you are a professional in the Equine Science field, we use our high resolution thermal images to expose and monitor common disorders in horses.

Thermal imaging produces no negative health or environmental effects. Infrared thermography is a non-destructive, non-contact, non-radiating technique. Due to tremendous advances over the last decade, infrared cameras are smaller and more capable of producing high resolution images with high data output. Research shows that the cost-effectiveness of using thermal imaging is often dramatic.

Our equipment and training offers the best in infrared imaging services at a competitive price.
We do whatever it takes to get the results you need.

Know Your Infrared Thermographer!

Infrared Thermography is a science as well as an art. It is not a point-and-shoot technology. Anyone seeking this service at any level should know that the technicians they employ are actively certified in this field. Level I Thermographers are trained in basic camera operation and thermal image exceptions. Level II are further trained in infrared theory and quantified heat analysis. Level III are trained in recognized industry standards, quantitative reporting, and project management.


Infrared New England is owned and operated by Gerald T. Brady. He is a Level III Infrared Thermographer certified by Infraspection Institute in Burlington, NJ. (founded 1980). He also holds related certifications (below) along with 30 years experience in the construction industry. All Infrared New England thermographers are a minimum Level II certified.

Is a energy audit REALLY necessary?

Infrared energy audits are necessary because today’s technology has given us the ability to use more energy efficient materials. A home energy audit can save you big money by reducing your energy costs. We have developed an unquenchable appetite for petroleum in this country. Our usage and wastefulness is at an all time high and the question of how long our resources will last weighs heavily on the minds of many Americans.

The only way to accurately detect air leakage, missing insulation or poorly insulated areas is an infrared energy audit that does infrared scans of floors, ceilings, and walls. This is the most accurate method to document these deficiencies. A do it yourself energy audit will only allow you to find areas where there are huge gaps. We all know a lot of littles add up fast.

Once detected with the use of an infrared camera most issues can often be repaired by the homeowner with a little coaching from an experienced contractor. As you can see with an infrared energy audit your eliminating all of the guess work which saves you lots of time and big money.

Infrared Energy Audit

An infrared energy audit exposes more than the naked eye. For example, heat loss. Where is warm air going out and cold air coming in? With an energy audit there are several steps you can take to determine these but you can not pinpoint all the areas of concern.

The Department Of Energy states that any where from 45% to 56% of all energy used in a home or business is heating and cooling. It only makes sense that in northern states like Massachusetts, the majority of that energy is heat loss. An infrared energy audit for Massachusetts residents, or any New England state, is a smart way to save money.

Infrared energy audits use a Thermal Imaging camera. This camera is capable of taking pictures with a thermal image view to give homeowners peace of mind that every area that there is heat loss is instantly exposed. These images show you where there is heat loss. Here are just two areas with multiple examples:

•Insulation:
Missing insulation, saging insulation and/or poorly installed insulation.
•Airleaks:
Airleaks around doors and windows. Air leaks are also found at or around electrical switches, outlets and fixtures on exterior walls and ceilings.
With todays economic uncertainty and fluctuating energy prices hitting all time record highs an infrared energy audit will help you know exactly where heat loss is occuring in your home. Keep your hard earned money from going out the window with an infrared energy audit.

Detecting Water Leaks

Water leaks can come from various sources in a home or commercial building. Some of the sources that frustrate property owners can be a result of a roof leak, sidewall leak, bulk moisture from ground water, or simply a plumbing leak within the building envelope. Often times, moisture is present without ever seeing a stain or a drip. A building can absorb an incredible amount of moisture into the structure, insulation, and plaster before it is ever noticed. Mold and mildew problems often result within the walls and floors of the building.

Thermal imaging is probably the single most amazing way to detect the presence of moisture within your building. An infrared camera senses thermal patterns on the surface of an object. Because water has a much higher capacity than air to hold heat, it makes it easy for an infrared camera to see the difference. Leaks can be traced to the source using non-destructive means. Pinpointing a problem allows you to only take apart areas that have been affected by the moisture, thus saving hundreds and often times thousands of dollars in needless repairs because of guess work.

Keep in mind that all thermographers are not credited equal. Make sure that the person you hire has the proper certifications and the highest resolution camera available. Low resolution cameras and improper application of thermography will often yield poor results.

For more information visit our website at http://www.infrarednewengland.com