DEC 08

fyi, not available until spring '09.

This is one of those things that becomes useless quickly, because once you've scanned your house, isolated and dealt with all the gaps/leaks/problems (assuming you know how to deal with them), then you have no more use for the device.

I'd rather they made something that was better (e.g. had a bigger scan area [i.e. bigger than a wall socket]) that cost a few hundred, but rented it out for a fraction of its price.
But failing that, planB would be to wait until someone else buys one, and borrow it once they've finished with it, or buy one, and sell it on once it's no longer needed.

It sounds like a dumbed-down infrared thermometer which you can already buy for relatively cheap.

I second what kballs says about the IR thermometer. I have one at home and use it all over the place to find leaks, and tell when the oven is pre-heated, check engine temps in the car, it has a lot of uses.

How much CO2 is going to be produced to supply GreenTard(TM) consumers with this useless device?

Do you know about emissivity? Very likely not. A perfect IR emitter (a blackbody) has an emissivity of 1., all other materials are otherwise and unless it is compensated for the temperature reading are WRONG.

Cheap devices like this usually carry an assumption of an emissivity of 0.95. To accurately measure the temperature of a variety of surfaces, the infrared thermometer needs to be able to be programmed with the emissivity of the surface that you are working with. If the thermometer doesn’t have this capability it is totally useless

;) Flowmaster is right about the assumptions of emissivity, but is missing on a couple of things. You're not really looking for accuracy as much as repeatability. Shoot the wall nearby looking for the same colors and materials (to get a reference temperature) and then move the device around looking for cooler or hotter spots. Be careful not to be too far away as these have a spot ratio that grows as you get further away and the IR receiver simply averages all IR energy.

Want to measure temperature immediately in a room, shoot it at a piece of white paper (not glossy).

These devices work well for balancing the venting in your house so that your house heats/cools evenly.

They're also fantastic for looking at your electrical breaker box looking for hot circuits that maybe overloaded and pulling too much current. If it prevents a house fire it's worth the price.

It's not that these devices are bad, you simply need to know how to use them properly.

Btw, these are also available with a lower emissivity for use in the food industry. Food inspectors use these to check out food without contact which prevents bacteria transfers, etc...

For the price, it can in ONE MOUNTH save the cost of the item, and being the cheap people that made the post previous, why not pass it on to someone else, but keep in mind that checking when the wind is blowing, on a different temp. outside day, will allow you to keep on top of Heat Loss in your home. Great device to show the kids why they need to be sure the doors are closed, even to the point of showing them that when they are not dressed for cold weather how much body heat is escaping thur there light jacket. And you can let them use it, make it a game and let them show you what needs to have a better seal around a window. Of of the negetive comments where so far off that I am surprised that people will not take the time to save a buck on there utility bill. Maybe you get Heat Assistance from an agency, I don't so I use anything that will help, and this is one. Also the Thermal Temp. readers cost about 3 times as much. $75.00-$200.00, I know we purchase these all the time for use at our agency.
So before you start letting your fingers talk, get you facts straight.