Thermal Imaging (Case Five)

Case Five: Inadequate Wire Size for New Heater

Building Type: 200+ Room Hotel located in Boston

Complaint: No complaint was made.

Type: Life Safety, fire potential.

Effect: No obvious effects.

Cause: This is yet another instance where an energy audit revealed a major issue during a walk-through with a thermal camera. In image pair 1 you are looking into a storage closet adjacent to the registration desk at a major hotel. In the last month a new heater was installed in an area used by the valet staff. I was walking the building looking at the various things when this hot wire came into view. Had this issued not been found and immediately addressed, a loss from fire was imminent.

Image Pair 1

Digital Image of wall.

Thermal Image of wall

Solution: Circuit was repaired fire threat eliminated.