We’ve just been provided with some devices that can be used to determine if your environment is up to spec and to provide evidence before you spend a lot of money on your home or to provide evidence to your landlord that work needs to be carried out. These investigative tools were provided for us by Susanna Dart, Principal Climate Policy Officer at Lancaster City Council (UKSPF funded). If we’d bought them ourselves, they’d have been over £500!
Thermal camera
The thermal camera (£1.95/day) can be used to take pictures and video to be downloaded to a computer, diagnosing:
- Building heat leakage – from inadequate insulation or damaged seals
- Water leaks – showing as unexpected cold spots (it also shows a water droplet icon where the device thinks leaks are)
- Wiring being shorted out – showing as unexpected hot spots!
Air quality monitor
An air quality monitor (£1.20/day) to record readings, live or over time, to be downloaded to a computer for analysis:
- CO2 – a high value indicates poor ventilation
- Particulates – cooking, traffic and dust increases this and a HEPA filter should reduce it:
- PM2.5 (mass of all particles < 2.5µm)
- PM10 (mass of all particles < 10µm)
- Particle count (total number of particles)
- HCHO – formaldehyde levels, usually released by manufactured wood products (plywood, MDF, etc.), such as new furniture
- Humidity – dampness in the air
- Temperature
Raw data is only so useful, so it shows Normal/Moderate/Unhealthy on the screen to give you a meaningful description (and beeps if levels are dangerous).
Hygrometer
Our hygrometer (45p/day) can show or, with a Bluetooth app, record both:
- Humidity – dampness in the air
- Temperature (Dry bulb, Wet bulb or Dew point)
Because it also detects Wet bulband Dew point temperatures, it is possible to calculate relative humidity.
Other devices
We already have a sound monitor to check for noise issues. Although you can use a phone app to get a general idea, we think that a dedicated device reading would improve the validity of any complaints.