Am I the only one who bought a $400 thermal camera to check for drafts?

Turns out the biggest heat leak was my cat, who likes to sleep pressed against the back door. It did find one actual draft in the basement though, so maybe it was worth it. Anyone else have a gadget buy that gave you a weird surprise?

3 comments

3 Comments

angela_knight1mo ago

Got a thermal camera for the same reason last winter. Spent an hour scanning windows only to realize the biggest cold spot was where my dog's bed sits against the wall. He's basically a furry heat sink. Felt pretty silly, but I did find a gap under the sink where pipes come in. Still not sure the fancy gadget was worth it over a cheap incense stick to see air move.

ivangrant1mo ago

That "furry heat sink" thing is actually backwards. Your dog is warm, so he's heating up that wall spot, not making it cold. The thermal camera sees his heat leaking out through the wall, which means you found a real insulation gap. The incense stick trick shows moving air, but it won't show you exactly where the cold is getting in from the outside. The camera gives you the full picture so you can actually fix the right spot.

blair_davis501mo ago

Wait, so the dog is actually warming the wall? That changes everything. I always assumed he was seeking out the cold spot like a cat in a sunbeam. If his body heat is leaking out, that's a serious insulation flaw right where he sleeps. Makes me wonder how much heat I'm losing through that one wall alone. Maybe that camera isn't so silly after all if it shows you the truth you can't feel.