Science Thermal Imaging Camera (FLIR) Experiences?

[CFC]

Does anyone have any recommendations for handheld thermal imaging equipment?

I'm trying to reduce heatloss in the home and want to insulate the worst spots.

My energy provider does loan equipment (for free), but they're already all booked up for the coming year.

My budget for this isn't large (as that would kinda defeat the purpose of saving money), but I'm interested in hearing input/experiences from anyone regardless.

Thanks!

 

[thujone]

i was going to suggest one of those little units that attach to phone but even those are $100+

could maybe see if you have one of those "tool library" places near you.

tbh I'm not sure why this is even necessary, as there are only a few possibilities.

it will either be drafts around doors or windows, if you have single pane windows.

drafts you can take care of just by applying weatherstripping around teh doors.

the masonry may also be drafty but that's something i wouldn't futz with because you could end up creating a condensation problem and that leads to things like mold

condensation is extremely pervasive and insulation is difficult to do correctly, personally i would just stick to weatherstripping and not try to optimize

 

[Electrum1]

A buddy rented a handheld one made by FLIR about 15 years ago to find water leaks in a warehouse roof and it worked great

Amazon has one for $349. Maybe use it and then resell it as "like-new"

Amazon.com

 

[Fire&Water]

 

[neversickanymore]

They have rental at Home Depot 63$ for four hours.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/rental/Thermal-Camera-Rental-FLIR-i7/316822080

 

[Esperighanto]

I've never purchased but have used the phone based ones a handful of times for both insulation purposes as well as general tomfoolery.

The first one I ever used was in high enough resolution to pick up my brother's facial expression as he slipped on ice and busted his ass. The second one was much more blurry, but it had more depth pertaining to what it could analyze and it was actually used for insulation purposes.

 

[HeadphonesandLSD]

I have a small one I got as a gift that was several hundred dollars. The price of this stuff is quickly coming down but there really isn't anything good below $100 yet. But prices are falling every year now. A lot of guys are buying these for rifles now and the price of FLIR scopes has decreased every year for the last four years or so.

I would also suggest a low tech solution to this problem. Use a candle. It's easy to find drafts using a flame of any kind. Another thing to consider is the fact that you don't want the house too sealed up from the elements. Modern houses are sealed pretty tight these days to the point of being annoying. You want some air flow. Old houses that had fire places had better air quality because the air was always being recycled. It didn't really matter how drafty the place was because heat was basically free (well if you were willing to do the work to chop wood anyway) and bad air was constantly going up through the chimney. I'd much rather be living in the old drafty farm house than my house that was built a few years back. My current house is so sealed up that I have to leave the windows open in the middle of winter if I want enough air flow to prevent the place from looking like a smokey bar after one cigarette has been smoked in it. I wonder how many people die or get really sick every year due to lack of good air flow within their apartment or house.