Home Thermal Images

The Flir E4 infrared camera was briefly reviewed on the previous page. I’m wandering around the house taking thermal and visible-light images using this portable thermal camera.

Like most consumer appliances, my coffee maker consumes energy even when the power switch is turned off. Likely, there is an inefficient voltage-regulator supplying a low voltage to the idle circuitry to run the clock, and so on.

Coffee maker idle infrared Coffee maker idle visible

Coffee maker idle (infrared and visible)

When turned on, the temperature of the coffee maker and coffee is significantly higher. (A lawsuit waiting to happen?)

Coffee maker heating infrared Coffee maker heating visible

Coffee maker heating (infrared and visible)

This modern dishwasher is quiet, but tends to exhaust steamy warm air at the end of the cleaning cycle. A bonus in this thermal image is the reflected IR on the stainless steel revealing the photographer and assistant.

Dishwasher infrared Dishwasher visible

Dishwasher (infrared and visible)

When the warm water from the kitchen, sinks, and showers goes into the basement and out into the sewer, it produces an unusual thermal image. Notice the cold spot is the incoming fresh water whereas the sewer stack is heated by the house waste water.

Home water and sewer infrared Home water and sewer visible

Home water and sewer (infrared and visible)

Following the water lines up, notice that the coldest spot in the bathroom is where the fresh water enters. The bowl and the tank are cool as well. It is interesting to be able to see the tank water level. This is somewhat due to the poor thermal conductance of the porcelain.

(Aside: My wife wants it to be known that she does not approve of me posting toilet pictures on the Internet. But... but... science?)

Toilet infrared Toilet visible

Toilet (infrared and visible)

If you turn on the hot water in the sink, the water initially comes out cool. Then, as the hot water makes its way up the pipes, it gradually warms up. Interestingly, the cool water rings the tiny pool that temporarily forms in the sink. The incoming water pushes the existing water towards the outside.

Hot water displacing cool water infrared Hot water displacing cool water visible

Hot water displacing cool water in a bathroom sink (infrared and visible)

If you leave wet towels on the floor all day, son, the outside towels dry while the inner towels stay a damp nasty mess.

Wet towels infrared Wet towels visible

Wet towels (infrared and visible)

I’m not sure that it is safe to drape those wet towels on the space heater though, because it seems to get pretty hot. We use our space heater for growing seedlings.

Space heater infrared Space heater visible

Space heater (infrared and visible)

Let’s see how the pets are doing, in the thermal spectra.