When the weather gets cooler and you start cranking up your furnace, the last thing you want is have all that fuzzy, costly warmness leak outside – or have nasty, prickly cold seep inside.
We’d hate to cause paranoia, but we’re afraid we have to tell you that there are likely traitors in your midst. No, there are no Manchurian Heat Candidate secretly drilling holes the walls. Rather, there are a lot of places that drafts and poor insulation can lead to energy waste – windows, doors, attics, and vents to name a few. But can you tell if you’ve caught all of them? We found a tool that can help you catch these heat zappers in the act – and it’s actually kind of fun to use!
I don’t know what it is about pointing, clicking and getting an LCD reading – but people like it! Whether it’s a bridal registry gun or this Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector, the world enjoys a good portable scanner! There is a lot of reason to like this particular one. The Black & Decker Thermal Leak Detector uses infrared sensors to measure surface temperatures (in Celsius or Fahrenheit) and spots the temperature difference (in one, five or ten degrees of change) in the surrounding area. You just point, scan and see the temperature reading anywhere you like within your home. Easy peasy!
We suggest checking the usual suspects first, but then use the guide to check out other possible energy traitors like sockets, fireplaces, floor molding and more. Once you get a good idea of where you’re losing heat, you can do something about it – like purchase weatherproofing kits, do a bit of caulking, add insulation, or consider replacing things like windows with more energy efficient versions. In the long run, you’ll save money on your heating bill and can give yourself a pat on the back for your green conservation efforts.
The Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector
Today (Cyber Monday) it’s $29 at Amazon.