Thermography Is Like X-Ray Vision For Energy Efficiency

Ralph Fuccillo isn’t able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but he does have X-ray vision. Well, not exactly, but he can see through solid walls, tiled floors and even a horse or two when he applies his recently acquired super power: thermal imaging.

At Universal Thermal Imaging LLC in Hampton Bays, Mr. Fuccillo, who owns the business, and fellow certified thermographer Frank Curto utilize a high-powered, high-resolution infrared-seeking camera, which when aimed toward any object produces a visual display of the energy emitted.

“The uses of thermal imaging are basically endless, but for our purposes, these cameras allow us to pinpoint areas of moisture under walls, floors, roofs ... We can also determine where insulation is missing or faulty or where loose connections might be hiding in a home’s electrical framework,” Mr. Fuccillo said.

And the technology’s uses are not limited to residential and commercial needs alone. Thermal imaging is also a valuable resource for veterinarians. For example, unlike a dog who will whimper when in pain, a horse or other prey animal won’t do the same. Subtle indicators—a limp in its trot or swinging of its head to one side mid-gait—might alert the owner or veterinarian to the possibility of the animal’s pain. But often by that time, the horse might already be lame.

“Veterinarians or horse owners can hire us to take thermal images and you can actually hone in on the exact problem area,” Mr. Fuccillo said. “It helps speed up the healing process, and I’m not a vet, but I’d imagine it would help reduce the risk of putting a horse down prematurely.”

Another aspect of thermal imaging that Mr. Fuccillo said he is excited about is residential job verification.

“Basically, any service a homeowner requires—insulation, radiant heat, plumbing, electrical problems—after they have a job done, we can take photos and create a thermal imaging report which shows exactly what their serviceman did or didn’t do,” he said. “This can save money and unnecessary headaches.”

The possibilities of thermal imaging don’t stop there. Reports might also prove helpful to prospective home buyers and sellers, according to Mr. Fuccillo.

Though adamant that his company is not a home inspection service, nor is he looking to take business away from anyone in that field, Mr. Fuccillo said he believes his report would help make any inspection report more thorough.

“We want to work with realtors, home inspectors, everyone. It’s about businesses going hand-in-hand,” he said.

Though fees vary depending on the size and scope of a project, the average customer can expect to spend anywhere from $150 to $300 for a comprehensive imaging report. Reports are given to a client after only a day or two, according to Mr. Fuccillo.

Overall, thermography is a relatively new technological tool for smaller businesses. And as far as Mr. Fuccillo is aware, his business is one of only a few certified thermal imaging specialists on the East End.

Upon hearing murmurs in the industry about up-and-coming infrared technology last year, Mr. Fuccillo and Mr. Curto decided the best way to learn about thermal imaging was to throw themselves headlong into field.

Last January, both men went to the Infraspection Institute in Florida and completed the first level of their certification. Mr. Fuccillo completed Level II certification in March of last year at the institute’s New Jersey branch. Currently, he has plans to obtain Level III certification (the final level), which delves further into imaging implementation and how to best manipulate camera functions.

“I mean listen, anyone can go out and get one of these cameras, but the question is, do you really know how to use it?” he said. “We took the courses because we wanted to have the knowledge right at our fingertips and we wanted to provide fully comprehensive condition reports for our customers.”

Much like any other electronic purchase, buyers get what is paid for. A more expensive thermal imaging camera produces higher quality images and thus allows the user to detect, in the smallest detail, even the slightest emission of energy.

The camera used by Universal Thermal Imaging came with a near $15,000 price tag but according to Mr. Fuccillo, it was leaps and bounds better than a lower-grade camera the company used to start.

“No doubt about it, it’s an investment but this camera is out of this world. When customers see what it can do, they all have the same reaction: ‘Wow!’” laughed Mr. Fuccillo.

Last winter, Hamptons Watercraft and Marine owner Tony Villareale hired Universal Thermal Imaging to verify insulation work he had done in both the marina and office of his Hampton Bays business.

“It was absolutely unreal, the company came in, did the job, we called Ralph, and within a couple of hours he showed us that the company did not seal up all of the gaps,” Mr. Villareale said. “We were able to have the job finished right then and there, instead of who knows how long later.”

Mr. Villareale added, “With this device, you can see literally everything, even studs in the wall. It’s like [Ralph’s] got X-ray vision or something.”