The colder the better

Ideally, the homeowner will want to have potential energy inefficiencies in the home identified and fixed before the weather really gets cold. However, it is easier to locate places where hot air is escaping—around doors, windows, attics, and anywhere wires and cables enter the home—when there's a significant difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures.

Simply sealing gaps within these common problem areas can save the homeowner up to 20% annually on energy bills each year. For those who experience hot summers, those same winter fixes could help improve cooling efficiency during the warmer months, further compounding energy cost savings throughout most of the year.

Check the stripping

One of the easiest places to check for potential cold-air leaks—and also to remedy—is weather stripping around windows and doors. Having the ability to check those spots, especially on an unusually chilly day in the fall, can help uncover what windows and doors truly need new sealing materials before the coldest days arrive.

Spot what’s missing

If a leak by a window or door is large enough and the air is cold enough outside, one can easily feel the air leak with their hand. Those problems can comprise an additional 10 to 20% of total home energy loss. Thermal imaging equipment is particularly adept at detecting places of missing insulation or insulation that has moved within the home, including the ceiling.

The right thermal imaging tools for quick home energy inspections

For homeowners, one of the FLIR ONE camera models makes an excellent choice. Homeowners can rely on thermal imaging tools to help them deal with water intrusion or common pests who build homes in the walls, crawlspaces, or even siding.

How it works

Thermal imaging cameras are easy to use, small, and can be positioned almost anywhere as needed. They can also be used to inspect package sealing, and improve efficiency in other food processing operations.

FLIR thermal imaging cameras have firmware and communication interfaces that enable their use in automated process control. Third-party software makes it easy to incorporate these tools into automated machine vision systems without the need for extensive custom-written control code.

Common food applications:

• Oven baked goods
• Microwave cooked meats
• Microwave drying of parboiled rice and other grains
• Equipment monitoring: Inspecting ovens for proper temperature
• Proper filling of frozen meal package compartments
• Checking integrity of cellophane seals over microwave meals
• Packaging inspections: Inspecting box flap glue of overwrap cartons
• Monitoring refrigerator and freezer compartments

Winter beekeeping: Thermal imaging tips

In wintertime, bees start at the bottom of the hive and eat their way up through their honey stores. When they reach the top, it means they’re out of food. Luckily, with the FLIR ONE you are able to see when hives need emergency food.

Bee sure you’re getting the best image

It’s best to take pictures from multiple sides of the hive to help pinpoint exactly where the bees are, and monitor hives over time to keep track of where the cluster is and how it’s moving, growing, shrinking or disappearing over the winter.

However, it’s not always that easy to see the cluster, as thermal imaging depends on there being a temperature difference to get a clear visual. Even in the winter, sunlight may heat up the outside of a beehive, making the colony inside effectively invisible. Taking thermal pictures before sunrise is a great way around this, as thermal imagers require no visible light to function.

Summer beekeeping: Is thermal still useful?

Thermal imaging cameras for beekeeping are also useful in the summertime. You can take a picture early in the morning while the outside temperature is still cold and get a good picture whenever the internal hive temperature is warmer than the outside. You can use the thermal cameras in the desert at night as well (when it gets cold) and see heat escaping from the bottom of the hive and reflecting off the sand.