I've used thermal guns before but this 3 color light indicator is way cool. It makes checking temp delta's very quick. With the old gun (with laser pointer), it was, point at the area you wanted to test and then look at the meter, repoint the meter to a new location and look at the meter again. With this TLD100, it was just move the light around the area you are checking and the only time you have to actually look at the meter is when the color changes. It completely eliminates this looking back and forth at the target, then the meter, then the target, then the meter,...
A comparison would be the difference between using a box end wrench or a rachet wrench to remove bolts. It makes the process much simpler and faster.
I bought my unit at the wrong time of year when the outside temp was, at maximum, only 30 degrees different then the inside temp so even though I found some leaks, they were minor. My house is about 40 years old and since I bought it a few years ago, I installed storm doors and had added insulation to the attic. All the windows and doors are relatively new and from what I can tell, this house is relatively tight. Even though I didn't find any major problems, it's gives a certain peace of mind to know that everything is okay. This summer when the temps hit the 90's, I'll retest.
The bottom line is that for home use and price, this is a very good meter. As some posters have pointed out, there are more accurate meters available and IR camera's that have far more versitility, but for what they cost, it would be much cheaper to not fix your leaks and just pay for the extra energy costs.
Addendum:
I've owned this product for a while now. When I first got it, it took under a minute to figure out how to use it. The concept behind it is very simple and very well done. At first, to my chagrin, my house seemed very tight and I found no hot or cold spots of any significance. I almost felt like I wasted my money, but there is a certain amount of consolation knowing that everything is in order.
Recently, I bought a whole house fan, but my attic access was too small to get it into the attic, so I enlarged the opening. I knew that I would have to insulate the cover to the new opening, but before I got around to it I used this product to see what to expect. It was a warm day and I had the air on at about 77 degrees. When I pointed the meter at the new attic cover, it was reading almost 100 degrees. What that meant was that I had a radiating surface of about 7 square feet at 23 degrees over the interior of the house temperature. Looking toward the future when the winter would come, I could have a temperature differential of over 100 degrees during very cold days. In the summer when the temperature gets into the mid 90's or more, my attic temp exceeds 140 degrees. This would give me a temperature differential of over 65 degrees.
I figure that this knowledge alone would pay for the meter in short order.
Anyway, I really like having this meter and contrary to what some posters have said about it's accuracy, it's the delta (temp difference) that is the most important thing to be concerned about in this case.
| Brand | BLACK+DECKER |
|---|---|
| Style | modern |
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Color | Black |
| Item Weight | 10.4 ounces |
| Alarm | Visual |
| Operating Humidity | 50 percent |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00885911106337 |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Black & Decker |
| UPC | 885911106337 |
| Part Number | TLD100 |
| Product Dimensions | 5 x 18.5 x 9 inches |
| Item model number | TLD100 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | Pack of 1 |
| Voltage | 9 Volts |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Number Of Pieces | 1 |
| Mounting Type | Ceiling Mount |
| Included Components | BLACK+DECKER Thermal Leak Detector (TLD100) |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Warranty Description | 2 Years |
