How does weather affect facade thermography?

Best results require a stable thermal differential between inside and outside the building, ideally with no recent precipitation and minimal wind. Our pilots time flights to weather windows that maximize image quality.

Can you scan a high-rise facade without disrupting tenants?

Yes — that's one of the largest reasons clients choose drone facade inspection. The flight is brief, low-noise, and conducted from the air; tenants generally don't notice it happened.

Can infrared imagery definitively locate water intrusion in a façade?

No. We can document temperature patterns that may be consistent with moisture-related conditions, but infrared imagery alone does not confirm water intrusion or its source. Additional investigation may be needed.

Radiometric thermal imagery of a commercial façade showing temperature patterns for review alongside RGB imagery

Core Service

Infrared Building Facade Inspection

Commercial façade thermography with paired RGB context and annotated reporting of observed thermal patterns and potential anomalies.

Overview

Exterior radiometric thermography can help identify temperature patterns that may be consistent with thermal bridging, insulation anomalies, potential air leakage, or moisture-related conditions. Holmes and Watson pairs thermal capture with RGB imagery and documents observations in a professional report. These are indicators for review—not proof of a specific defect or water intrusion. Any diagnosis may require building history, interior observations, or hands-on testing.

Why Choose Drone Facade & Envelope Thermography

A drone facade scan finishes in hours what scaffold-based inspection takes weeks to do. The non-invasive nature is critical for historic envelopes, occupied tenant buildings, and facades where mechanical anchoring would itself cause damage.

When to use it: Use facade thermography during commercial real estate acquisition due diligence, when chasing recurring tenant comfort complaints, before major envelope capital decisions, after any envelope-affecting weather event, and as part of an annual envelope condition program.

What We Inspect

Curtain walls and unitized glass facades
Masonry, brick, and CMU exteriors
Window seals and glazing systems
EIFS and stucco cladding
Metal panel systems
Expansion joints and through-wall flashing

Our Process

Assessment

Reviewing building drawings, prior thermal data, and tenant complaint history; planning vertical flight grids around airspace and adjacent structures.

Capture

Capturing radiometric thermal and RGB imagery of agreed exterior areas, subject to safe flight and suitable conditions.

Review

Comparing paired imagery and documenting observed patterns, limitations, and potential follow-up questions.

Delivery

Providing an annotated professional PDF report for facility teams, engineers, energy firms, or other project partners.

Deliverables

A professional annotated PDF report with paired RGB and radiometric thermal imagery and qualified observations. Stitched thermal elevations are not a standard deliverable; thermal orthomosaics and 3D thermal models/point clouds are not currently offered.

Cost Factors

Building height and total facade square footage
Number of elevations and complexity of geometry
Airspace authorization (Class B/C airspace adds coordination)
Number of elevations, site access, flight conditions, and requested report detail
Combined roof + facade missions are significantly cheaper than separate visits

Frequently Asked Questions

Drone thermography replaces rope access for most condition assessment work — moisture, insulation, thermal bridging, and gasket failure identification. Hands-on testing is still needed for some destructive sampling, but the drone scan tells you exactly where to send the testing crew.