How To Use An Infrared Thermometer
3 min read
Infrared thermometers help measure the temperature of something or someone without having to touch or even be near it. A handy tool not only in the health screenings, but infrared thermometers are also very useful in the foodservice industry, food processing, scientific and industrial uses, apart from general home use. IR guns have become very popular these days as they quickly and accurately measure the temperature from afar.
Why Use Infrared Thermometers?
Infrared thermometers are ideal for reading temperatures even from a distance. They give you accurate temperatures without touching the object you’re measuring and will work accurately even if your subject moves. IR thermometers are ideal where you cannot insert a probe if the person or surface is out of reach or if you need to maintain the distance because of heat or other factors.
You might prefer to use an infrared thermometer to measure:
- Fragile objects such as a computer circuitry
- Dangerous gears or molten metal
- Impenetrable items such as frozen foods
- Items susceptible to contamination such as food items and saline solution
- Moving objects like a conveyor belt or living things
- Out of reach items such as air conditioning ducts or eardrums
Bear in mind that although infrared thermometers are great tools for checking surface temperature, they don’t measure the internal temperature of the object you are measuring.
Limitations of Infrared Thermometers
Although very useful when used properly, infrared thermometers have some limitations as well. Some of the limitations are:
- They measure only the surface temperatures and not the internal temperature of objects.
- IR thermometers need adjustments depending on the measuring surface.
- Aren’t always as accurate as surface probe measurements of the same surface
- Frost, moisture, dust, fog, smoke, or other particles in the air temporarily affect the performance.
- The rapid change in ambient temperature also affects the results.
- Proximity to a radio frequency with an electromagnetic field strength of three volts per meter or greater can result in the wrong reading.
- Not ideal for measuring the temperature of objects underneath the glass, liquids, or other transparent surfaces
How to Use an Infrared Thermometer?
As the design and functionality of an IR thermometer are different from traditional thermometers, they might seem difficult to operate. However, if you follow the following steps, you can properly use your infrared thermometer:
- Turn it on: Switch on your infrared thermometer.
- Choose your settings: If the thermometer has options, select the appropriate settings for your measurements. For instance, you can choose the results to appear in Celsius or Fahrenheit.
- Aim: Hold the thermometer roughly 6 inches away from your target and point it at the object you wish to measure the temperature
- Hold the trigger: Hold down the thermometer’s trigger until it starts measuring the temperature.
- Hold it steady: Hold on the trigger while you wait for the results. For the accurate results, you should hold your thermometer steady and maintain the same distance as you started measuring.
- Record your results: The results will be ready in a matter of seconds. Make sure to record them as they appear on the thermometer’s display.
Conclusion
Infrared thermometers are the best tools to get incredibly quick results and are great options where a traditional probe thermometer can’t do the job. So, whether you wish to measure the temperature of the ductwork, electrical panels, and surface of your grill, or even your body temperature, infrared thermometers can give you quick and accurate results.
If you are looking for reliable IR thermometers at reasonable prices, click here.
About Author
