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PSA: That $400 thermal camera was a total waste for my sweeps
Everyone says you need one to spot hidden blockages, but after using it on 20 jobs in Cincinnati, it never showed me anything my rods and camera didn't already find. I feel like it just made the process slower for no real benefit. Am I the only sweep who thinks this tool is overrated for our day-to-day work?
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angelaw7812d ago
My mechanic bought one, same story.
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So you never found a single issue the camera missed? I have to ask, were you checking for heat loss around the firebox or just looking at the flue? In my work, that's where it pays for itself, spotting those small cracks in the masonry that you'd never see otherwise. It shows the whole picture when a camera just shows the straight line. Maybe it depends on the age of the homes you're working on.
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roberts.leo12d ago
Honestly, I used to think the same as you. Tbh I was only checking the flue with my camera and calling it good. But last month I found a hairline crack in the firebox mortar on an old brick chimney. The camera showed a clean flue, but the scan lit up the whole side of the fireplace. It was a tiny leak the homeowner never felt. Changed my whole view on needing both tools.
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