My Honest Take on the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector

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We purchased the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector just after the first cold "snap" here in Colorado (back in October).

Thank goodness that I did. There is no telling how much money this thing has saved me so far, and winter is far from over.

In case you don't know what the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector does, it detects heating and air conditioning leaks in your home.

A leak could be caused by improperly-applied (or failed) weather stripping around a door or window... or a general lack of insulation behind the exterior walls or ceiling of your home.

Finding these leaks in your insulation and weather stripping can be a real eye opener for some, and fixing them can save you hundreds of dollars per year.

In today's economy, every little bit helps.

So, learning how to keep your heat in (and the cold out) in the winter will save you a lot. Not only that, but if you run an air conditioner in the summer, the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector will save you money in the summer months too.

The way the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector is simple:

• First, you find a spot in your home to serve as a reference point. Make sure it's not somewhere right under a heating vent. You are looking for an "average" temperature. I use my computer desk in the middle of the house, as it tends to be quite comfortable there with no drafts.
• Second, point the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector at your "average" temp spot and turn the device on. This tells the device that you want to use this temperature as the reference point for detecting thermal leaks.
• Third, set the temperature tolerance to either 1, 5, or 10. I find that 10 is best for most general testing in the really cold winter months. On a not so cold day, the difference between the inside air and outside air might not be enough to use 10, so setting it to 5 might be better.
• Fourth, when you are testing an area with the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector, a beam of light will shine on the area to be checked. If the area being tested falls in the tolerance range, the light will stay green. If the temperature of the spot registers above the tolerance range, the beam of light will turn red. If the tested spot is below the tolerance level, the beam of light will turn blue.

It's just that easy.

Recently, with the help of the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector, I was able to find a lack of insulation around several light switch plates on exterior walls. I was immediately able to resolve the issue with some expanding foam. Upon retesting with the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector, I was able to conclude that the problem was indeed fixed! Amazing.

I was also able to walk around the house with the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector pointed at the ceiling, and I was able to identify two different spots where the attic insulation was insufficient (one was over the dinning room table and the other was around a ceiling fan in the master bedroom).

Truthfully, the only 2 negatives that I have are these:

• It lacks a laser.
• It only measures up to 300 degrees.
  

Because of these minor shortcomings, I still use my KINTREX IRT0421 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer with Laser Targeting for general temperature checks. I own a computer consulting company and regularly need to check the temperature of potentially-troublesome computer peripherals (CPU, hard drives, chipsets, etc).

All I can say, is if you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, and you want to save more money on your heating and cooling bills, you need the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector. Period. Just buy it. You will not be sorry.

Click here to read more reviews of the Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector from Amazon.com.