The advance in heat detection devices has transformed building safety. Contractors and building inspectors are now regularly using these devices to diagnose potential faults within the structure of a building. Since all facilities are prone to various problems such as thermal loss, moisture intrusion or electricity failures, it’s important to always have the right tool to track these problems. And the market is booming with many options that allow you to measure infrared heat and be able to conclude what’s happening within a wall, pipe or any enclosed space.
However, not all of them are created equal. Some like the thermometer can only give you an approximate temperature reading, while others are more advanced and come with a number of different options that enable you to more thoroughly inspect a building. Because building safety should leave no space for errors and uncertainties, many contractors choose to use thermal imaging cameras which are the best heat measuring tools.
Most tools used to measure heat can only give you a temperature number, which sometimes might be inaccurate. With such tools, although a lot cheaper, you will always be left guessing. But a thermal camera works in such a way that it allows you to actually see the heat, giving you exact temperature measurements and an image of heat distribution. Having detailed visual information and accurate temperature numbers enables you to detect problems fast and thoroughly.
Thermal imaging cameras, such as FLIR E4 and FLIR E60 are often mistakenly confused with temperature guns, which are another form of heat measuring tools. The only thing that these two types of tools have in common is that they both use infrared technology. However, the temperature gun can only measure one point while the thermal camera has the capacity to measure thousands of points. Therefore, a temperature gun can be useful when you know there is a problem and the exact spot it’s located in. But because it can measure the temperature of one single spot, some crucial information might go unnoticed.
On the other hand, thermal cameras can be used even when you’re not sure there is a problem in the first place. Because of the advanced optics of thermal cameras, they can easily inspect a wider area and read temperature from a long distance. Also, cameras are preferred over temperature guns because they provide the user with more information. While temperature guns can only display the temperature that comes from a certain point, thermal cameras create a multifunctional image enabling the user to see exactly where the faults are located and how severe they are.