Black & Decker Thermal Leak Detector

It might look like a speed-trap gun, but this Black & Decker tool is actually to identify places in your home where heat is escaping.  The Thermal Leak Detector uses a nifty colored light to tell you whether a particular spot is spilling all your central heating out into the cold or not: calibrate it by pointing at a normal wall, then move the light around and, if there's a particularly leaky spot, it'll turn red.

It's user-switchable to differentiate between 1, 5 or 10 degree F changes, and it will change between blue and red to indicate particularly hot or cold areas.  You can also switch it to Celsius if, like me, the old style of temperature confuses you.

According to Energy Star, plugging up leaks and drafts in your home can scythe up to 20-percent from your heating bills; at that rate, the detector would likely pay for itself.  The Black & Decker Thermal Leak Detector is listed as "coming soon" at the company's online store, where it retails for $39.99. 

[via OhGizmo]