tools to read water temp

Just wondering what you guys use to read water temp from taps etc…?

cool

Deltatrak Fast Reacting Probe

A thermometer

Thermometer

Yes!.

http://www.inspectoroutlet.com/extech-42500.aspx

IR camera. I also add general structure photos of the home with it, all appliances (working or not working), electrical panel and moisture I may find, heat and ac operating, components of the heating system such as circulator pumps operating, etc. It has been beneficial after closing as appliances fail soon after sometimes. You can show that not only did you test the appliance, but that it was working or not working on the day of inspection. You never get the famous last words of: I want to know why this wasn’t inspected. Though, not sold as or reflected that it is a complete IR inspection, it is as complete as some of the guys here who are actually selling that service as a stand alone. I typically add 30 to 50 IR photos to a report. It is the wave of the future and more guys will be using them then not in the coming years. Get ahead of the curve I say. Try to provide all of the value that you can to your customers. I gain more customers with it then my counterparts. None of them offer it beyond the cell phone attachment. You could use that as well for basic temps. Get a cam and get certified. It is worth it.

my hands…

I have a small digital thermometer.

So many times on flips I will find no hot water at a shower or bathtub.

I just replaced that one with the Fluke version.

The buttons on the Extech were starting to wear . The Fluke is built more like a tank.

exactly…
easy to shoot air vents (overhead), radiators, baseboards, etc…

Easy and fast but not especially accurate. About the only thing I use a point radiometer for is to make sure I’m getting heat from the supply registers. For ovens I use a thin wire thermocouple and pretty much everything else a probe.

A thermistor is the best device to measure fluid (air-water) temperatures.

IR is not.

In most cases I use IR. When I don’t, I ensure I have a picture showing me doing the measurement that also displays the result.

Had a case not long ago where a customer said when they moved in the furnace could not work. Seller then said there was an issue with it so they turned the gas off in the spring (months before the inspection). Strangely though they never made any such disclosure during the negotiation/sale. Also, when I did the inspection the gas was on and I have digital proof the furnace worked.

Be sure you report it as an “Apparent Temperature”.

IR can be way off , I use a probe , And if i really get excited i bring out the old Sling Psychrometer. May be to old for you young fellows . Even those have to calibrated from time to time

I use a $10 Weber digital thermometer available from Home Depot or Lowes. This also works to check air temperature at the plenum on the furnace.

Water heater should be set at 120 degrees. But from my experience. Most are set at 140 degrees and Beyond
When I had kids in the house a long time ago I’m back down to 110.
But now I Crank It Up.
I usually tell the clients after I hit it with my IR camera that it is at the scalding temperature .what they do after that is up to them

I had occasion to do this just yesterday. I filled the basin and used my non-contact thermometer and checked it against my dial thermometer. The dial thermometer read about 2-3 degrees higher.

Like most other things, the non-contact thermometer will get you in the ballpark, but a regular dial-type is going to be your most accurate.

Except for ovens. I get readings all over the place with the non-contact thermometer, so I really on an oven thermometer for that application.