A Thermal Camera Could Be The Key To Lowering Your Heat Bill

If you're upset with high electric bills every winter and feel that your home heating system seems to be working overtime, then a thermal camera could be one of the tools that will help you fix the problem. This gadget can help you find cold spots in your home, which could be areas that need to be reinsulated. You can also use it to locate small holes and gaps in the walls, windows, and other parts of your house, which you can then seal and stop from being drafty.

They're also often easy to use, especially if you buy one that's designed to attach to any smartphone with a USB-C port easily. When you sweep it around the room, you can immediately see areas with large temperature differences from the rest of the place. This is excellent for checking hard-to-access spots, like vents and the upper part of doors and windowsills. With that, you should be able to quickly check for spots that are leaking heat from your home and seal them temporarily. You can then check it out when summer comes to see if anything needs repair and replacement.

You can also use it to check the HVAC system itself; after all, it could be that there's a leak or blockage in the system that's causing a spike in energy use. While you'll still need a professional to fix any problems, using a thermal camera can help you quickly spot an issue before it breaks your heating during a winter storm.

One thing you should note, though, is that thermal cameras are a bit expensive, with prices ranging from $140 to more than $400. If you're racking up hundreds of dollars in electricity costs and you have an old and drafty home (or you suspect there's something wrong with your HVAC system), then a thermal camera might be a worthy investment. It also has several other uses around your house and garage, too, so it might be a worthwhile investment if you're into DIY projects or you can use it for your work. Just keep in mind that in the short term, you're spending a lot, but in the long term, you're saving on energy costs.

But if your house is seemingly fine and you just want to save a bit of money, then consider getting a portable space heater instead. For example, there are well-reviewed models from Walmart for just under $40, and they offer several safety features like overheat protection and auto shut off in case it gets tipped over. There's also Costco's best-rated space heater, which, although it isn't perfect, is priced nicely at around $55. That way, you're not heating up large unoccupied swathes of your house (like your attic, for example) and instead consume electricity to only heat places that you actually use and live in.