Should I Buy an Infrared Camera?

[Jon Bon]

And if so, which kind?

I am looking to upgrade my insulation game. I am currently finishing a room and would love to know for sure that it is nice and tight. I also have multiple projects in the future that this would be used for. This would also be a business expense.  Can I get anything decent for $3-400 or so?

Other options - Rent one from HD ~100 a day
Gas Company Audit - free or close to free. However he would control the camera not me.
Non Contact Thermometer - Done this before, works ok. Would upgrading to a  camera be worth it?

Appreciate any advice.

-JB

[dot]

I have a FLIR TG165-X that I use at work to screen blocks of material coming out of a furnace for cracks. It has reasonable resolution, though it overlays an optical image on the thermal data to make that resolution look higher. For some reason those two images go out of alignment every once in a while and I have to reset the thing to fix it. A minor inconvenience.

It cost less than $350, I think. I was spending someone else's money so I bought a name brand, but the off brand ones on Amazon might work just as well.

Our maintenance department has a FLIR T840 that I absolutely covet, but it's $20k and for some reason they won't just let me have one of my own.

[cool7hand]

Depending on your ethics, you could always buy and return.

[nereo]

I have a FLIR TG165-X that I use at work to screen blocks of material coming out of a furnace for cracks. It has reasonable resolution, though it overlays an optical image on the thermal data to make that resolution look higher. For some reason those two images go out of alignment every once in a while and I have to reset the thing to fix it. A minor inconvenience.

It cost less than $350, I think. I was spending someone else's money so I bought a name brand, but the off brand ones on Amazon might work just as well.

Our maintenance department has a FLIR T840 that I absolutely covet, but it's $20k and for some reason they won't just let me have one of my own.

I have the same Flir and have experienced the same offsetting of digital image and thermal image - how do you correct it?

We’ve used ours to chase down some insulation gaps, at work to see which seawater pumps were working effectively (aquaculture) and for fun to spot owls and other critters in tree hollows during the winter. My wife has used it to find cold water ground seeps in River tributaries. It was also fun and instructional to show my kid how shade from trees could influence ground temperature as much as 10°

Seems wet keep finding ways to use it, even though strictly speaking mostly of these tasks it wasn’t absolutely necessary.

[ixtap]

Depending on your ethics, you could always buy and return.

Without compromising any ethics, check with your local library as some loan out tools.

[nereo]

Depending on your ethics, you could always buy and return.

Without compromising any ethics, check with your local library as some loan out tools.

I’ve also heard of fire departments that will come over with their (generally many thousands of dollars) thermal camera to help homeowners find insulation gaps. Never hurts to ask.

[Villanelle]

I was also going to suggest the library.  if your branch doesn't have one, see if they can help you determine whether another branch in the same system, or a nearby system with reciprocity, has them available.

Also, post in your local Buy Nothing group, if you have on, asking to borrow. 

[gooki]

I purchased a factory refurbished FLIR camera used it and sold it for the same price I paid for it.

[nereo]

I purchased a factory refurbished FLIR camera used it and sold it for the same price I paid for it.

Why did you sell it?

[dot]

I have a FLIR TG165-X that I use at work to screen blocks of material coming out of a furnace for cracks. It has reasonable resolution, though it overlays an optical image on the thermal data to make that resolution look higher. For some reason those two images go out of alignment every once in a while and I have to reset the thing to fix it. A minor inconvenience.

It cost less than $350, I think. I was spending someone else's money so I bought a name brand, but the off brand ones on Amazon might work just as well.

Our maintenance department has a FLIR T840 that I absolutely covet, but it's $20k and for some reason they won't just let me have one of my own.

I have the same Flir and have experienced the same offsetting of digital image and thermal image - how do you correct it?

Settings>General Settings>Factory Reset

We don't store images on it, but I imagine that it deletes all files at the same time. Fixes the alignment every time, though.