Great info on the IR thermometer Dave. I'd suggest a practical hack, that us Energy Managers use, for getting accurate temperature measurements from metal surfaces. Carry a small piece of tape that you can place on the metal, prior to taking its temperature. I use cloth hockey tape, but masking or electrical tape works well too. Wait a few moments for the tape temperature to stabilize (cold surface / warm fingers). The reasoning behind this is the surface material's Emissivity Coefficient (Greek letter ε). An ideal black body has ε=1.00, painted drywall ε=0.95, whereas something like Aluminum foil has an ε=0.04. Your IR gun likely has a pre-set ε=0.95, which can only be changed by the user on more expensive units. Placing tape over the metal will give you a much more accurate value. There will be a small deltaT across the thickness of the tape, but for engineering purposes, this is negligible. These tapes have an ε that typically ranges from 0.90~0.97, close enough.
You can buy ready cut to size clear polycarbonate sheets to put on the inside of windows with magnetic strips, plastic is a better insulator than glass.
If your re puttying old glazed windows remember to prime wood first it can dry the putty out otherwise soaking the oil into the wood making the putty crack.
I've found draughts from above or below skirting boards, from chimneys supposedly blocked and boarded off, electrical fittings like switches, sockets, light fittings, cracks in the lime plaster around windows, around pipes in kitchen and bathroom, even still got cast iron toilet drain pipe that's obviously conducting cold into the house as opposed to a plastic one. Gaps around windows and doors outside doesn't help either.
How do you draft proof a door? I rent and I swear our door leading to the outside is letting in HEAT, humidity and mosquitos lol. But it's not like I can seal it if I have to open and close it. It has to me easy-ish lol
Wrong information. You're using the wrong tool. You can't find air drafts with that. What you have is a simple temperature guage. Sure, you can see the temperature difference between the wall and the door, especially since you know the door is there and you can see the gap. But how much air is being sucked out of the light switch? You can't see that or really do a temperature check on it because the air that's leaving is your conditioned air so it's going to be roughly the same temperature as the surrounding areas; it's just getting sucked up behind the walls and disappears up the walls.
It’s not the “best” tool If that’s all one has it can easily find massive leaks if I go u see my baseboards and get 75 degrees then all of a sudden 40 I know there’s a leak’ It’s a budget The best would be get a thermal camera but most can’t afford one
@@joshymcdaniel9233 Who cares? That's just air coming in. You probably have a lot more air that is LEAVING the house and that tool won't tell you that your 75 degree temp air is leaving.
@@alknowing7581 For air that's being sucked out of your home like from doors or electrical switches and outlets, the correct tool is expanding foam for some, and using a light for the door at night to see what light comes through. Additionally for any air coming IN to the home, a temp guage might work fine if there's a big disparity between inside and outside, like it's 20 degrees outside and 75 inside. But if you're doing it on a day when it's 70 outside and 72 inside....you're not going to detect any 5 degree difference. What you use then, is plastic to see if it billows outward. If so, then there's an air leak. You have a lot of lineal footage around the door, so if there's a "tiny" leak that runs the whole top or bottom, that adds up to be a "big leak".
First off, the word thermal means relating to heat. So a "Thermal heat detector" makes no sense. Second of all that wont show you draughts or "drafts". Honestly, you americans are always about going to home depot or whatever and buying some shit product that makes the job easy, just use some common sense mate.
For real! As an American I could of used my hands to detect drafts and spent the money on caulking or whatever materials needed instead of wasting it on this tool that may get used 5-6 times! It’s an epidemic in America, people rely too much on technology to do the work for them and have become incapable of using their brains these days!
As an American I paid $500 for an advanced thermal camera to see gaps in my insulation that I know for a fact you couldn't feel with your common sense lol. I filled them and saved $250 a year on energy loss. Now I have no drafts and a$500 camera and every year the camera makes me another $250. I agree this product the guy is using is fucking stupid but Maybe your the one without common sense. Lol just use your hand.
![How To REDUCE Heat Loss In Your Home: 5 SIMPLE DIY Changes [2023] - FLIR Thermal Camera](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tbR_OIyuZp4/mqdefault.jpg)
![How To REDUCE Heat Loss In Your Home: 5 SIMPLE DIY Changes [2023] - FLIR Thermal Camera](/img/tr.png)
Great info on the IR thermometer Dave. I'd suggest a practical hack, that us Energy Managers use, for getting accurate temperature measurements from metal surfaces. Carry a small piece of tape that you can place on the metal, prior to taking its temperature. I use cloth hockey tape, but masking or electrical tape works well too. Wait a few moments for the tape temperature to stabilize (cold surface / warm fingers).
The reasoning behind this is the surface material's Emissivity Coefficient (Greek letter ε). An ideal black body has ε=1.00, painted drywall ε=0.95, whereas something like Aluminum foil has an ε=0.04. Your IR gun likely has a pre-set ε=0.95, which can only be changed by the user on more expensive units. Placing tape over the metal will give you a much more accurate value. There will be a small deltaT across the thickness of the tape, but for engineering purposes, this is negligible. These tapes have an ε that typically ranges from 0.90~0.97, close enough.
Very informative, deserves way more likes. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Haha you the best, instant suscribe.
You can buy gaskets to stop draughts from light switches, sockets and light fittings.
You can buy ready cut to size clear polycarbonate sheets to put on the inside of windows with magnetic strips, plastic is a better insulator than glass.
Classic 👌 thank you
If your re puttying old glazed windows remember to prime wood first it can dry the putty out otherwise soaking the oil into the wood making the putty crack.
I've found draughts from above or below skirting boards, from chimneys supposedly blocked and boarded off, electrical fittings like switches, sockets, light fittings, cracks in the lime plaster around windows, around pipes in kitchen and bathroom, even still got cast iron toilet drain pipe that's obviously conducting cold into the house as opposed to a plastic one. Gaps around windows and doors outside doesn't help either.
What did you use, to find the air leaks?
@@keithnoone Back of my hand a joystick or match, they sell thermal non contact thermometer about £12
Thanks
How do you draft proof a door? I rent and I swear our door leading to the outside is letting in HEAT, humidity and mosquitos lol. But it's not like I can seal it if I have to open and close it. It has to me easy-ish lol
Weather stripping and corner seals.
Which device did you use in the video?
It would be helpful if you posted a link to that device that you are using
"i went to my Local hardware store" is the link
@@calmeajdid you find that heat detector really helpful
Lol I loved this video.
Finally, a video that shows me how far I have to hold the gun from the window or door. I can't afford a camera.
Cameras shouldn't be bought, but rented
you look like me. stunning man right here.
Wrong information. You're using the wrong tool. You can't find air drafts with that. What you have is a simple temperature guage. Sure, you can see the temperature difference between the wall and the door, especially since you know the door is there and you can see the gap. But how much air is being sucked out of the light switch? You can't see that or really do a temperature check on it because the air that's leaving is your conditioned air so it's going to be roughly the same temperature as the surrounding areas; it's just getting sucked up behind the walls and disappears up the walls.
It’s not the “best” tool
If that’s all one has it can easily find massive leaks if I go u see my baseboards and get 75 degrees then all of a sudden 40 I know there’s a leak’
It’s a budget
The best would be get a thermal camera but most can’t afford one
@@joshymcdaniel9233 Who cares? That's just air coming in. You probably have a lot more air that is LEAVING the house and that tool won't tell you that your 75 degree temp air is leaving.
What’s the correct tool then?
@@alknowing7581 For air that's being sucked out of your home like from doors or electrical switches and outlets, the correct tool is expanding foam for some, and using a light for the door at night to see what light comes through. Additionally for any air coming IN to the home, a temp guage might work fine if there's a big disparity between inside and outside, like it's 20 degrees outside and 75 inside. But if you're doing it on a day when it's 70 outside and 72 inside....you're not going to detect any 5 degree difference. What you use then, is plastic to see if it billows outward. If so, then there's an air leak. You have a lot of lineal footage around the door, so if there's a "tiny" leak that runs the whole top or bottom, that adds up to be a "big leak".
@@terry7893 That sounds dumb and complicated. I'll just use the temp gun.
Great teeth!
Nonsense.....
Entirely useless.
Did you watch it past 1 minute?
@@paulatiredofthisshit I'm sure he did cuz so did I and entirely useless is a huge understatement
Wtf. Why is American DIY all about buying products!
Because you can't magically Point your fingers at something and get a temperature from it. What a stupid question.
What do you suggest?
First off, the word thermal means relating to heat. So a "Thermal heat detector" makes no sense.
Second of all that wont show you draughts or "drafts".
Honestly, you americans are always about going to home depot or whatever and buying some shit product that makes the job easy, just use some common sense mate.
For real! As an American I could of used my hands to detect drafts and spent the money on caulking or whatever materials needed instead of wasting it on this tool that may get used 5-6 times! It’s an epidemic in America, people rely too much on technology to do the work for them and have become incapable of using their brains these days!
As an American I paid $500 for an advanced thermal camera to see gaps in my insulation that I know for a fact you couldn't feel with your common sense lol. I filled them and saved $250 a year on energy loss. Now I have no drafts and a$500 camera and every year the camera makes me another $250. I agree this product the guy is using is fucking stupid but Maybe your the one without common sense. Lol just use your hand.