Updated November 13, 2026 · No Shorts Electric
Why an infrared scan has to be done under load, what the camera sees, how findings are graded by temperature rise, how insurers use the report, and how often a commercial building should scan.
An infrared electrical inspection, also called thermography, photographs the heat coming off electrical equipment. Because a loose or failing connection gets hot before it fails, the scan finds problems that a visual inspection cannot. Insurers have asked for it for years; NFPA 70B now treats it as part of a maintenance program.
Why the building has to be running
Heat at a bad connection is produced by current. With no load there is no heat and nothing to see. The scan is scheduled for a normal operating day with the building drawing at least 40 percent of its typical load, and panel covers are removed by a licensed electrician so the camera sees the conductors.
What the report shows
- An infrared and a visible-light image of each finding, side by side.
- The temperature of the component and the temperature of a similar component under similar load, with the difference.
- A grade for each finding based on that difference, from monitor at the next scan to repair now.
- A recommended repair and, where helpful, the likely cause.
- An inventory of every panel and piece of equipment scanned, including the ones with no findings.
How insurers use it
Loss-control programs use the report to confirm the building is maintained and to see that findings were corrected. Some carriers require an annual scan for larger buildings; others offer it as a credit. Ask your broker what your carrier expects.
How often
Annually for most commercial buildings. More often for equipment that is old, heavily loaded, or in a dusty, damp or hot environment, and after any major change to the load.
What we do about it
- Infrared thermal imaging inspections →
Annual infrared scans of panels, disconnects and switchgear under load, with a report that ranks findings by temperature rise and gives your insurer what it asks for.