IR inspections for simple trap designs works well by measuring both the inlet and outlet pipe temperatures of the trap to determine the temperature difference. Simple IR Thermometers can be useful for detecting heat loss, insulation problems, overheating, overloads, and cooling failures. It may not work so well for traps with changing condensate loads, back pressure issues, or where multiple traps discharge into a common condensate line.
We'd recommend complimenting an IR inspection of steam traps with Ultrasonic inspection. With Ultrasonic probe you can hear what is happening within a steam system as it is being tested. The probe will not pick up the other pipe noises since ultrasound intensity falls off rapidly as it moves away from its source.
