Verify Your Machine Insulation Is Actually Working, with an Infrared Thermometer
Verify Your Machine Insulation Is Actually Working, with an Infrared Thermometer
After insulation is installed on machinery or piping, many assume the job is done. But points with valves, fittings, or clusters of flexible hoses are often harder to insulate as tightly as a straight pipe run, and from the outside it’s impossible to tell by eye which spots are still leaking heat.
Why Looking Isn’t Enough
Insulation that looks neatly fitted from the outside can still have small gaps at fabric seams, a zipper that doesn’t close fully, or a spot that has to bend around a multi-directional valve. These are exactly where the most heat escapes, but the human eye can’t detect the temperature difference, so a measuring tool is needed to confirm it.
How to Check Insulation Surfaces with an Infrared Thermometer
Point the thermometer at the insulation surface at the distance recommended in the tool’s manual, then scan along the pipe run or around the equipment point by point, paying extra attention to joints, valves, and curved sections. Compare readings across different points on the same insulated surface; if one point reads noticeably hotter than its neighbors, that’s a sign the insulation there may be incomplete.
Points Worth Checking Closely
Seams between insulation panels or the zipper closure on a removable jacket
Spots where insulation has to bend around a multi-directional valve or a complex fitting
Areas with several flexible hoses or cables bundled together, making full coverage harder
Spots where insulation was previously removed for maintenance and refitted afterward
What the Readings Tell You
The general idea is to compare surface temperature across the same or nearby points. If readings stay consistent and aren’t noticeably hot relative to the surrounding ambient temperature, the insulation is doing its job well. If one spot jumps noticeably higher than its neighbors on the same insulated surface, that point is worth a closer look for missing, thinned, or poorly sealed insulation.
Conclusion
Measuring surface temperature with an infrared thermometer is a simple way to confirm installed insulation is actually working, especially at joints and complex-shaped points prone to gaps. Centrotec has experience fabricating removable insulation jackets that fit these complex points properly. Contact our team for a consultation.
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