How does the thermal camera work, and when would it be appropriate to use one? When the thermal camera is not required for anything else Price The least expensive thermal camera is typically the most expensive option. advice and suggestions concerning thermal cameras
The arrival of new technology has not been lost on the world of plumbing, as different advances are improving the ability of plumbers to find and fix issues. The thermal camera is one of the Rising Stars because it enables plumbers to detect fluidity effectively without having to break walls or elevate protrusions. This eliminates one of the necessary steps in the detection process. When would it be beneficial to use a thermal camera (spoiler alert: the answer is not always), and how much would it cost the entire company to do so? Everything you require to know about utilizing a thermal camera has been compiled here for your convenience.
How the thermal camera works
The thermal camera (check best sellers on Amazon) works using infrared rays that are sensitive to heat, thus detecting temperature differences in a particular area.
When is it worth using a thermal camera?
The most common use of a thermal camera is with the aim of detecting leaks of unclear origin. The camera can give an accurate location of the damaged pipe and save the need to break walls and lift floors.
Another use is a home purchase test – if you want to purchase a second-hand apartment, our recommendation is to invest and order a plumber who will move with the thermal camera on the walls and floors in the house, to make sure that you do not have any unpleasant surprises after you move. It is true that this is not a cheap test (all prices below, not to worry), but it will allow you to move in a quiet head and it is worth gold.
When is the thermal camera not needed?
The good name of the thermal camera goes in front of her, and many people insist on using it. With all due respect (and there is respect) and appreciation, in some cases, the use of the thermal camera really is not necessary and does the job for no reason. A skilled plumber will often be able to diagnose the source of the leak based on your description and review of the House. In such cases, using a thermal camera will cost the cost of work in hundreds to thousands of dollars (!) And probably will eventually bring the same result… Too bad. Our advice-do not turn to the plumber and say that you want a thermal camera, but simply say that there is a leak that the site has. The best way to detect the leak is already to decide for himself, trust him.
When else is there no point in using the camera?
Limited depth-the thermal camera reaches a depth of individual centimeters, so it is effective at home and not in the yard or in the garden
Leaks from sewer pipes – in cases where it is not possible to heat the water (most often it is sewage liquidity, but not only) it is very difficult to detect a leak with the help of a thermal camera. Many plumbers explain that they recognize for sure that this is sewage leakage and still customers insist on using a thermal camera, which is obviously unnecessary in the situation. Don’t make that mistake.
Concrete surface, marble, or wood? If the plumbing is under a heat-insulated surface (e.g. if you have a parquet floor or a marble cladding) the thermal camera will not help because it will not be able to detect the water temperature below the surface.
The price
There is no doubt that the thermal cameras have miraculously upgraded the capacity of the plumbers to detect liquidity, but at the same time, the price of work has also been upgraded. Detecting a leak with a thermal camera costs between $200-$500, while cases, where the plumber discovers the source of the leak without using electronic equipment, will usually pay a visit only.
In thermal camera-the cheapest is the expensive
Don’t be fooled! Nonprofessionals sometimes purchase a cheap and high-quality thermal camera just to show the customers and offer a thermal camera test at the cheap prices of hundreds of dollars. The cheap price can look tempting, but in the end, the cheap cameras have a very low detection capacity until it does not exist, so it is quite likely that if you choose the cheapest option you will be disappointed and forced to invite another professional.
The recommended resolution (Here is a high resolution one from Amazon) for the thermal camera varies between the different companies so that customers do not really have a way to know which camera is good and which is not, so it is of great importance to choose a reliable and recommended plumber.
Thermal camera-tips and recommendations
If you are already investing a fairly small amount in detecting fluidity in a thermal camera, you should get an appropriate value for the payment. Just for us we have gathered for you some tips that are really important to know before deciding on using a thermal camera:
- The use of a thermal camera and the correct reading of the images it raises requires a lot of knowledge and skill so it is worth taking a plumber who has passed a thermography course or one that specializes in detecting fluidity.
- Make is sure in advance that the plumber you have chosen issues a neat report with photocopies of the test. It is possible that in the future you will need it for insurance or in the event that you want to sell the apartment.
- Agreed in advance what happens if the professional could not locate the leak with the help of the thermal camera. The liquidity detection price includes the use of all means and not only the camera, so if the thermal camera does not raise results and the plumber switches to another device (eg gas sensor) it should not drag an extra fee. If the source of the leak is not found, it is generally accepted that the professional will charge only a visit cost even if he used a camera or other means.