Books aren't the only thing you can check out from the Alexandria Library. You can also check out a thermal camera! A thermal camera helps locate spots in your home where energy might be escaping.
WUSA9 spoke with Melissa Atwood, a Senior Environmental Specialist for the City of Alexandria, who helps run the program. She says a thermal camera is not only easy to use but it can also save you money.
“The thermal camera program [has] been around for several years it's still going strong. Just come to the library. Each of the library branches has thermal cameras you can check out for your iPhone or for your Android. They come with simple instructions to get the program on your phone, be able to follow it, you can even follow a do-it-yourself energy audit that allows you to find these different areas in your home where there might be leaks or insulation might be missing and that's where a lot of energy gets lost so they're quick easy fixes for people to be able to save that money and conserve energy for the environment,” said Atwood.
Checking out the thermal camera is as easy as checking out a library book. They are also easily accessible. All the library branches in Alexandria have one available.
“We want to encourage the community to become more eco-friendly and we want to focus on the eco-city Alexandria initiatives. One of the big reasons that it's important is because 96% of the energy used in Alexandria actually is used by the community. So, to be successful in being a sustainable eco-city we they need we need to have everyone take action, use sustainable initiative, and work together towards those goals,” Atwood said.
So how does the thermal camera work? It’s as easy! Just download, plug, and scan! Download the application for the thermal camera on your iPhone or Android, plug the camera into your phone, and then start to scan your home to find energy leaks. The best places to start scanning are windows, doors, ceilings, and electrical outlets.
Doing an energy audit helps reduce your carbon footprint and can save you money on your energy bill. And with the thermal camera program, doing just that is easier than ever.