Making Your Home Special

Thinking Of Buying A Thermal Infrared Camera? Learn Different Ways You Can Use It Around Your Home

19 February 2016 by Gaspard Gaillard

Thermal infrared cameras are handy tools to have on hand. They take pictures that detect the temperature changes in the area where the picture is being taken. These temperature changes can be used to detect a variety of things. Many people buy them for a specific purpose but don't realize all the different ways that they can use these cameras in their homes. If you are considering purchasing one, learning all the different uses will help you make the most of your new purchase. Here are some of the ways a thermal infrared camera can be used around your house.

Detect Plumbing Leaks

A thermal infrared camera is useful at detecting plumbing leaks behind walls or cabinetry. Most plumbing leaks start out small. As such, water drips from the pipe, being absorbed by structural beams and insulation. In the meantime, your water usage increases and you are probably trying to figure out why. It isn't until enough water has dripped to saturate the wood and insulation that the drywall begins to bulge out, or the leak increases, that you figure out where the leak is. However, with a thermal infrared camera, you can easily find the leak. Simply aim the camera at walls in your home. If you notice there is a temperature difference in one of the pictures, you've identified the leak. It may be hotter or colder than the standard behind wall temperature, depending on whether it is a leak from a hot water or regular water plumbing line.

Find Energy Leaks

Another way a thermal infrared can assist you in your home is by finding energy leaks. There are many different ways you can have an energy leak in your home. You could have a leak in your ductwork. You could have a leak around your window or door frames. Your attic space may not be properly insulated. Or your insulation behind the walls may be old and thin. Using the infrared camera in areas where energy leaks may occur will help you detect any and then fix them, helping to reduce the amount of energy your home uses.

Look for an Electrical Fire

If your electrical wires are overheating, an electrical fire may occur. However, an electrical fire doesn't always produce flames. You may smell a burnt smell but be unable to identify where it is coming from. If you smell a burning smell and can't locate the source, take your thermal infrared camera into the room and point it in the direction of the smell. You should notice a hot spot on the pictures if an electrical fire is the cause of the smell. This technology can also be used to find hot spots before an electrical fire breaks out.

Spot Pests in Hiding

The last way you can use a thermal infrared camera around your home is to spot any pests that may be making your home their home. If you hear strange noises coming from your attic, basement or crawl space, you may have a good idea that a pest has taken up residence in the space. However, getting rid of that pest on your own can be hard if you can't find it. A thermal imaging camera can help you find mice, rats or other warm-blooded pests that may be hiding in cracks or crevices in your home. Once you figure out where the pest's home is, you can work to remove it and then seal off the area so no other pests decide to live there.

Thermal infrared cameras can help you spot temperature differences behind walls or in places that you otherwise can't see. This can be useful in finding plumbing leaks, energy leaks, electrical fires and pests hiding in your home.  

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