SAN DIEGO, Calif. (CBS 8) --Thermal imaging technology – once reserved for military use – is making its way into the consumer market.
New infrared cameras hook right up to your smart phone and they can be pretty handy around the house.
CBS News 8's Marcella Lee tested out one such device, call the FLIR One. It's an infrared camera that slides onto your iPhone and uses different filters to illuminate heat sources.
One of things it can do is spot plumbing problems. Simply turn on the hot water the point the camera at the sink trap to view possible clogs in the pipes.
The company says you can also use the FLIR One to check for weather stripping leaks in your doors and windows. It's also possible to view the location of studs and pipes in the walls.
Point the FLIR at power plugs, outlets and fuses to see which electrical devices are sucking up power.
But probably the #1 thing you can do with the FLIR is just impress your family and friends, explore your house, the world around you, take cool pictures, try different filters and then post them to social media to get lots of likes.
The FLIR One sells for $250 on Amazon and fits iPhone 5 models. The company is about to launch a next-generation thermal imaging camera that will work with the iPhone 6 and Android phones.