Best Thermal Camera for Pest Inspection

Last updated on March 26, 2021

Thermal Cameras for Pest Control

Are pests taking over your home or workplace? Could it be a termite infestation? We know, termites are probably the worst kind of takeover to imagine. The pesky business of getting rid of them can be very stressful and expensive.

Luckily pest control is no longer a hit and miss operation. Thanks to thermal imaging cameras in the pest control industry, it has become a lot easier to detect and completely eradicate all kinds of pests. Yes, that also includes the evasive termites that can ruin your building or home from the inside out.

Thermal cameras detect heat temperatures in unseen places such as inside walls, floors and ceilings. The accuracy that has eluded pest inspectors for eons, thermal imaging has now made possible now. It allows you to see beyond what the naked eye allows, making early detection of termites and other pests fairly easy.

Who would have thought we would live in an era where a thermal imaging camera can literally see through walls? We will talk you through all the interesting features and functions of thermal imaging cameras in this article. 

Spot Guns vs Thermal Cameras

Let’s quickly examine the top differences between spot guns and thermal cameras.

  • Spot guns zoom in on only a small spot to detect heat temperatures whereas a thermal camera can cover a large area with instant analytics and images
  • Thermal imaging cameras provide insightful reports with accurate diagnostics while spot guns don't have the technology to produce reports
  • In terms of accuracy, the thermal camera is the front runner whereas spot cameras can be prone to provide inconclusive results

Benefits of Using Thermal Cameras

The far-reaching benefits of thermal cameras in the pest control industry are varied. The most impressive feature is probably the ability of thermal cameras to rapidly locate issues. Termites, for instance, are extremely hard to detect. Being able to locate termite infestation early can save you a lot of money and damage to your property.

The most commended benefits are:

  • Not Imposing: Using thermal cameras to detect infested areas doesn’t require any demolition or damage to your property. It’s not imposing and doesn’t interfere with activities in your home.
  • No Harmful Substances: There are no harmful substances left behind after using thermal cameras. Although it detects radiation through its infrared lasers it doesn’t release any radiation. It also leaves no chemical footprint behind.
  • Regulates Temperatures: The thermal camera picks up any change in temperature. Therefore, it's possible to detect pest infestations that could be hidden in remote places such as columns, walls and power boxes.

Making Termite Detection Easy

The traditional tools used for termite detection were mostly tapping tools and gauging the moistness levels in a structure. Pest inspectors didn’t always get it right using these primitive tools and could easily miss termite infestation. No one could blame them either because it was very difficult to detect.

Thermal cameras have provided a way to make termite detection easier and more accurate. Use of thermal technology enables you to detect changes in temperature, termite colonies can be seen through walls or inaccessible places. It also makes early detection of termites possible as the thermal camera can’t miss the presence of termites if it scans all the structures accurately.

Tip: Cooling or heating a room will make it much easier to spot pest issues.

The Versatility of Thermal Cameras

Thermal cameras have many functions and aren’t only useful to pest inspectors. It has revolutionized the building industry allowing better inspection of properties before you make an offer on them. These thermal cameras can detect leaks, electrical faults on power boxes and many other building faults.

Even though thermal cameras have many uses the most advantageous industry it’s being used in is the pest control industry. Let’s look at how easy thermal cameras can detect larger pests such as mice and rodents.

Easy Ways Thermal Cameras Detect Mice and Other Rodents

  • Thermal imaging cameras can "see" in total darkness which makes it easy to detect rodents which usually come out at night.
  • Mice enjoy chewing holes inside the walls. Thermal cameras can detect the change of temperature in the walls caused by these open pockets of air. It makes it easy to locate the mice.
  • The heat permitted by rodents can easily be detected by thermal cameras.

Our Top 4 Best Thermal Cameras For Pest Control

It’s hard to ignore the complete game changer thermal cameras have become in the pest control environment. Adding this innovative device to your arsenal of tools can make you more dynamic in completing your tasks. We recommend the following thermal imaging cameras for effective pest control.

Specifications:

  • Thermal resolution: 320 x 240
  • FOV: 45° x 34°
  • Thermal sensitivity: <0.06°C
  • MSX Imaging
  • Battery life: 4 hours

If higher resolution is what you’re after, that’s exactly what you will get from this thermal camera.It has resolution pixels up to 320 × 240 with perfect image augmentations. Resolution is a huge deal when it comes to pest control, especially when trying to detect termites. Termites are super small and can easily be missed. Having enhanced resolution you’re able to see more defined images.

Advanced resolution affords you a better opportunity to detect smaller pests such as termites. The FLIR E8 has the added benefit of being Wi-Fi enabled. It makes uploads of images and reports to your other devices simple.

Even though this thermal camera is more expensive than its competitors, its versatility and multi-functionality are well worth the investment. 

Specifications:

  • Thermal resolution: 160 x 120
  • FOV: 55 x 43°
  • Thermal sensitivity: 70 mK
  • VividIR™ image processing
  • Battery life: 1 hour

This thermal camera is compact but crammed with so much power. It’s possibly one of the leanest designs in thermal technology yet lacks none of the vital features of its competitors.

The FLIR One Pro is made specifically for SmartPhones and can be easily connected to your phone in only a few seconds.

You no longer have to haul bulky cameras with you on-site. The compact design of this camera makes it easy to slip in your pocket and attach to your SmartPhone when you’re ready to work. It's hard to believe such a small device can pack such a huge punch.

It provides crystal clear clarity providing over 19,000 pixels with every shot. That’s an outstanding resolution, giving you the kind of detail needed to locate any pests.

Included in this package is:

  • A FLIR OnePro Device
  • A charging cable
  • USB input
  • One protective container

Specifications:

  • Thermal resolution: 320 x 240
  • FOV: 57°
  • Thermal sensitivity: 70 mK
  • SeekFusion™ image processing
  • Battery life: 4 hours

The versatility of the Seek ShotPro camera speaks for itself. Not only is this thermal camera a front runner in technological advances–it boasts a touchscreen for easy navigation—but it's also well built. It has a shock-resistant, durable cover, and prolonged battery life; truly turn-key solution in one device.

This thermal camera has built-in analytical tools that allow you to change the colors for improved accuracy when detecting problem areas. You can also zoom in and highlight specific areas that are suspicious for later review. It allows you the flexibility to switch from editing photos to measuring specific spots for more intense scrutiny.

Have you ever had the problem with your clients not being able to interpret the images as well as you can? Who can blame them? You need some kind of training to be able to discern what these images represent, right?

The SeekFusion function on this thermal camera has a better solution for you. It pools the pinpointing power of a thermal picture with the detail of a normal clear picture. This allows your clients to see the full picture in one glance and understand what it represents.

Specifications:

  • Thermal resolution: 220 x 160
  • FOV: 35° × 26°
  • Thermal sensitivity: 0.07°C
  • Thermal/Visual image blending
  • Battery life: 3 hours

What you need from a good thermal camera is an easy grip and something lightweight, correct? Some of the places you need to enter to inspect for pests can be tricky, so having something compact and easy to maneuver is key. The HTI HT18 camera gives you exactly that.

  • It weighs less than 0.84lb and is flexible enough to use at any angle
  • The shape of the camera is fairly unique as it’s similar to a gun
  • This thermal camera is also priced reasonably making it excellent value for money.

It's fitted with a 3GB memory card for easy storage of all images. This camera doesn't disappoint on resolution quality either but provides clear imagery on a 3.2” screen. You can easily select from a range of five colors for optimal clarity.

This package includes:

  • The thermal camera
  • An easy to use manual
  • A USB cord for easy charging
  • One protective bag for easy carrying
  • An adjustable rope that’s drop resistant
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Final Thoughts

Getting rid of pests shouldn’t be troublesome anymore. The accuracy and ease the thermal camera affords make it worth your time & money. It simply wouldn't make sense to use outdated tools when an innovative and effective alternative is available.

Why not make the switch and invest in a good thermal camera for your pest control business? We would love to hear from you in the comments below so drop us a note. Let us know if it worked for you as well as it worked for others.

About the author 

Randy Angwin

Randy Angwin is an avid outdoor enthusiast and has been with TICR since the beginning. He helps create new articles and reviews latest infrared and night vision devices for the site as well as staying on top of the latest trends in the thermal industry. When not working, Randy likes to hunt and spend time with his two German shepherds.

  • Hello! Question, what camera would you recommend that would detect moles and their tunnels? Tunnels can be 2, 4, 6, and sometimes 8″ below the ground surface.

  • What camera would you recommend to detect rodents residing in the walls of one’s home. The walls are plaster as the home was built in the mid 30’s.

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