Here at Test Meter we do our very best to help pair our customers with the perfect product for their needs. We love hearing the new ways our customers make use of the instruments we sell, so we were buzzing to tell you about this one!
Eastwood Pest Control, a family run business based in Cheltenham, got in touch with us looking for help with an unusual problem. In case their name wasn't a giveway, they specialise in pest removal in domestic, commercial and agricultural settings. From bees to bunnies, Eastwood cover the majority of Gloucestershire and no task is too big or too small, but their issue was a very specific one.
Dan from Eastwood got in touch with us via email, seeking expert advice on finding the best product for surveying and detecting the heat signature of honey bee colonies (typically between 30-35°C) within a cavity wall/ceiling void - the aim being to make their bee removal quick and easy, ensuring minimal damage to both the property and the hive.
Chris Fox - Sales Manager at Test Meter - was on hand to help. Chris suggested that a thermal imaging camera might be the best solution, giving a rundown on how they work from a technical perspective, before taking the time to apply it directly to the application Dan was investigating:
"What we’d be relying on here is for the heat radiated from the colony to be such that it affects the surface temperature of the building material outside/inside... if it’s a sunny day, the external building material will warm up substantially, especially when you consider stone and brick tend to absorb the sun’s heat very well. So, for example, if the surface of the building is being heated up to around 30-35 Celsius from the sun, and the bee colony is also the same temperature in the cavity, you’d need a very sensitive thermal imager to detect and show any heat differences within a cavity. Alternatively, you could use a thermal camera inside the building where the wall surfaces will be cooler or externally if you were to use a thermal camera at night."
Over the course of multiple emails and phone calls, Chris guided Dan through the various aspects of purchasing a thermal imaging cameras he should consider, including the key differences between cameras and the options available to purchase one. Given the complexity of the job and the location (a cavity wall in a customers bathroom), it was suggested that taking advantage of our 'Try Before You Buy' option might be the best solution for Dan, allowing him to hire and test out the instrument on the job, then refunding the hire cost if he decided to buy the same model afterwards. After just a three day hire, the team at Eastwood were confident they had made the right choice, purchasing the Teledyne FLIR E6-XT Thermal Imaging Camera.
The big question though, was how did their job go?
"I am amazed that the camera picked up the heat signature as the bees were behind a 3 inch slab of insulation and 18mm plasterboard. It was such a small heat difference. Thank you for the demo to try and all the great advice before purchase.”
We loved hearing back from Dan and the team at Eastwood Pest Control - our team are more than happy to answer any questions you might have about the products we offer and want to make sure you have the right tools for the job in hand, so it's great to get some feedback on all their hard work.
If you have an enquiry or need assistance finding the right instruments or equipment, please don't hestitate to give our team a call on 0113 248 9966 or email sales@test-meter.co.uk.
Have you had a great experience with Test Meter? Perhaps you’ve got your very own case study to share? Please do get in touch on social media or by email at studio@test-meter.co.uk, we’d love to feature your story.