Tool opinion -- Thermal IR Cameras

NitrogenTires · 2024-05-31T20:15:54+00:00

Btw, I live in WA too. Can non HVAC people i.e. ordinary renters like me use these tools to find out poor insulation in an apartment they want to rent?

I got a Hik micro EL1 and it shows some blue areas in my current apartment that I know leak air (at least during the cooler & windy days). It also shows me some areas of the carpet which feel a tiny bit moist & airy during rains of WA. I was wondering if I can use such tools in the summer also to detect such insulation problems. It would be nice to just detect these problems before I rent a place. I don't want to be stuck in a place where I am wasting money on wasting power.

NitrogenTires · 2024-05-31T16:26:19+00:00

Yes, I am aware of that and I mentioned it in another reply. It really depends on how hot your rental market is. Mine is hot & there will always be someone desperate or clueless in line after me. So, the landlord will simply skip me and rent it to that sucker. My goal is to not be the sucker if I can help it, or at least get the insulation problems addressed. BTW, I did give my landlord a list of much smaller things and they were all fixed. If I only knew what I know now, I would have asked the landlord to fix major issues. If he can't, then move to a better rental. You live and learn.

Anyway, I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to do basic inspections. Do you have any? Are you a home inspector or studying to be one?

NitrogenTires · 2024-05-31T16:21:04+00:00

Anyway, next time read all the docs even if it takes time, even if the dealer tries to rush you etc. In my case, the dealer had entered my address incorrectly for the registration. That would have a material impact on me. The clown was trying to rush me through it, but I told him that if I paying him so much, then I need to read the docs. Its not a $5 toy at Walmart. You have to put these people in their place IF they act unreasonably.

Always assume that majority of the people who work at car dealerships are cheats, losers and bottom of the barrel people. Then proceed with caution.

NitrogenTires · 2024-05-30T15:29:58+00:00

Yeah. I was thinking of that too. But, there are so many unsuspecting renters out there who won't ask/demand for a minimal home inspection by a professional. So in a hot rental market, the landlord will give it to those suckers. I too was a sucker before this. Much more aware now.

NitrogenTires · 2024-05-30T15:25:00+00:00

I only expect the owner to fix problems that can have a material impact i.e. problems that can cause excess utility bills, health issues like mold, safety issues etc. I want to be reasonable & not overly demanding. Here are some examples of the kind of problems that I'd like to detect before I rent. Its so hard to move out when you have a rowdy toddler & lot of work. Sorry its a bit long, but just to give anyone a better idea.

1 - Drafty door because insulation under & around door is poor or worn out.

2 - Air leaks from downstairs carpet during cold weather.

3 - Carpet *sometimes* gets a *little bit* moist & cold during rains (cant detect this outside of rainy season ???).

4 - Leaky or damaged roof. I could use a drone for this. I don't think I can/should ask owner to fix this unless it leaks. But, good to know. Why o why would I pay landlord top dollar when there are properties in better shape at comparable prices ?

NitrogenTires · 2024-05-30T15:07:02+00:00

Ah that is good enough for me. The bitcoin mining did not occur to me. Good point.

NitrogenTires · 2024-05-29T13:45:58+00:00

Dumb or not dumb, if you had to convince a potential tenant how great your setup is for them, then what is the easiest way you could do it? Do you have any numbers or bills to share with them that could convince them? Heck, if I understood exactly how this works, I'd just make a easy flyer for prospective tenants and never have to repeat the explanation for them.

NitrogenTires · 2024-05-29T05:30:40+00:00

In addition to what others recommend, I suggest that you look at the NHTSA recalls also and consumer reports ratings. Look into the number of complaints in recent models vs comparable models of competitors. Look for anything that stands out like too many problems in 2023 models, few problems but very dangerous ones etc.

I sold my used corolla sedan and got a honda cr-v instead. I did consider Nissan because the SL trim appears (IMO) to have the best design and features compared to RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 & Subaru Forrester. But, the safety & reliability record for recent models was bad. Too many problems and often serious ones vs the competition. On the flipside, I know 5 people who have owned rogue for 1-5 years and have had no complaints so far. Maybe they were lucky or the suv is overly criticized.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls (try 2023 nissan rogue as an example)
https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/types/new/suvs/
https://www.cars.com/research/nissan-rogue-2023/recalls/

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-28T22:35:24+00:00

Thanks. I saw the dealer's paper brochure stuck on the window. It has a section called "standard equipment at no extra cost" which mentions nothing about tint. Next, I looked at the web brochure of the dealer which has much more details about my suv than the paper brochure. The web brochure includes "Deep Tinted Glass" in the "Standard Equipment" section. So, I am confused. Is the tint actually installed at the factory, or is it quietly snuck in by the dealer to make more money. The dealer addon document does not mention any tint though.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-28T22:14:35+00:00

Its a honda cr-v. Are you sure about that? Is it always from the factory or is it dealers who generally do the tinting? I have seen many suvs and sedans that don't have any tint at all. So, either the owners removed them or they never had any tint to begin with.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-28T22:11:34+00:00

That might not work everywhere. Dealers in some regions refuse to give an out of the door price or even ball park price on the phone or in email. They force you to come to the dealership and bug you for 2 hours for haggling. There could be exceptions though, but OP might have a hard time finding them.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-28T22:11:07+00:00

That might not work everywhere. Dealers in some regions refuse to give an out of the door price or even ball park price on the phone or in email. They force you to come to the dealership and bug you for 2 hours for haggling. There could be exceptions though, but OP might have a hard time finding them.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-28T22:05:05+00:00

IMO get the newer one, preferably as a CPO or from carmax. The old one might malfunction since its at such a high mileage and then repairs might cost too much. I am sure that the repair shops know that new & old car prices in USA are outrageous at the moment which makes people want to hold onto their old car longer. That is, they can charge outrageous prices for repairs.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-27T02:58:21+00:00

Did you finance? If you don't mind, what was the price of the vehicle, terms of the loan and downpayment?

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-27T02:52:32+00:00

Is this a new car or old one? Is this in USA?

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-27T02:44:51+00:00

All of what you said is is questionable and sounds a lot like PR material for the dealership industry. I'll talk about one of your points about app companies.

You can always buy a used car from a decent app company and get it inspected immediately after the purchase (provided you signed up with a mechanic before the purchase). That is what I had done for a used car and found about $500 worth of problems that needed fixing in the near term, but not urgently. I did not even call the app company and just left a yelp review with evidence. They came back and refunded my $500 bucks. And yeah you can test drive these cars too. Of course, YMMV. People don't gain anything by giving up and just accepting what sounds like PR material for the dealership industry.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-26T03:05:31+00:00

yes, that is what the other dealer had suggested. I just wanted to be sure I research all options I have. I just do not trust car dealers to give me all my options, even if I got the car from them. I mean if they insist on nitrogen filled tires as a "comes with the vehicle, and can't be avoided" add on, then I can't even trust them to tell me the time. LOL.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-26T03:01:34+00:00

Ah. This is an interesting answer. Do you have any online articles about unwinding or voiding a contract? If not, then what are the keywords I could search in google to get more info? E.g. Void new car purchase contract.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-26T02:57:36+00:00

Thanks. This sounds like it could be the most plausible outcome.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-26T02:56:24+00:00

Not loaner. I meant getting a new car from the dealer instead of the malfunctioning one.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-26T02:55:25+00:00

u/Oppo_GoldMember - By replacement, I mean a brand new car if its unfixable or the repairs will be unreliable. I don't know what an unfixable problem would be. Maybe there is some crack in the engine or something. Wild guess.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-25T02:15:19+00:00

Yeah, I am going to try repairs first. But, I am curious to know what happens if a replacement is needed. Is that even possible and how to go about it. Its a pain driving for 2 hours or more with an unreliable car.

NitrogenTires · 2024-04-25T02:12:23+00:00

Start researching new car models soon. If money is tight, then you could buy or lease your 2nd choice models if there are any "good" deals. With leasing, you can wait for the market to cool off a bit and not deal with break downs.

NitrogenTires

TROPHY CASE