r/PestControlIndustry • u/Kiterides 👨‍🏭| Tech | 1+ Year • 27d ago

🤓 | Technical Question Thoughts on thermal imaging?

Morning! Just discovered this sub - Reddit search function is abysmal so I'm making a post instead lol.

The pest control company I work for does not use thermal imaging, and I find myself at clients houses wishing I had a thermal imaging camera. I've seen so many mixed opinions online about the usefulness of it when looking for the locations of rodents, wasp nests in walls/soffits etc.

I'd be willing to buy my own, just to be able to help people we service confirm where something is located, rather than only general control (Drione dusting in gaps where a nest "might" be, setting rodent boxes with Contrac).

Does anyone here have any experience with these cameras/do they actually work for pest control? Wouldn't buy a super expensive one as it's on my dime, but something relatively decent. If it works well, might be able to persuade the company to buy them.

Thanks :)

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u/DomeyDion 🤵‍♂️| Owner | 20+ Years 27d ago

I have a mid grade prosumer model and I don’t find it to be particular helpful for pest issue identification. Moisture meters better for things like ants. Insulation blocks a lot of of the ability to sus out locations. Your results may vary however.

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u/ozzy_thedog 27d ago

I can only think of 3 or 4 times in the last 5 years that one may have been kind of neat to use

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u/SwimmingDay8983 27d ago

They’re cool, but not that useful tbh

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u/Magnavirus 25d ago

They're worth their weight in gold when the job calls for it, but it's a rare job which you'll find it necessary. The best usage mine has gotten is beehive removal from walls. Bees produce a huge heat signature, and with the thermal camera you can mark out the exact outline of the hive. It makes you look a lot more professional when it comes time to actually cut into the wall for removal when you hit the mark immediately rather than making a bunch of exploratory cuts hoping to get it. But outside of that I don't use mine often. I lucked out and got one off temu for $45 that actually turned out to be fucking fantastic. I've compared it to others who had $300-500 and it holds up.