Mark... now I get the Prius analogy... ;-)

It's a Mastercool -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TM7HXC/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
I've checked it with another digital thermometer and it's within 1F of any reading on boiling water and ice water (at our elevation). Very good unit for the price.

Good luck on your new build!

DallasBill,

The Amazon advertisement says

"2 to 1 ratio - increased distance to spot ratio"

I take that as meaning that if you're 2 feet from the wall, you read a 1 foot wide area, i.e, a 45 degree angle.  If you're 28 feet from the ceiling, you'll get a picture of a 14 foot wide area, not just the peak.

At $45, I recommend these Infrared thermometers to anybody that really wants to know what's going on with their furnace duct temps, window efficiency, stud R value, you name it.  The first time I saw one of these, it was at a vintage sports car race (all Volvo 1800s).  The guy next to me was using it on his tires after the qualifying laps to check the heat across the tread and determine the proper tire pressure for the course.  If an area of the tire is cooller, the tire is lifting up or one side of the tread is lifting off the track.  He was the only guy that beat my time.  Neat tool.  He still beats me.

Mark

Very "cool" about the tires, Mark!

That is a misprint -- the '1' is missing.  Further down in the details it says (and it's in the product package, too):
"12 to 1 ratio - increased distance to spot ratio."

 

Mark -

So as not to highjack this thread for off-topic self-centered infromation seeking about your hrv system ;), I sent you a pm.

any chance that tihis was started by Haun??? just a hunch

Dallas Bill,  Thanks for the tip on the infared gun, I got one a few weeks back.

I immediately checked the temp in my great room area and found that with my Tstat set @ 72 degrees ,
 The temp at the floor was 71.5 at 5 ft. high it was 71.9 and at the peak of the 16ft. vault it was  73.8

Chris,

The difficulty for me was get those same numbers during the height of the heating season (if you have one), and with as unobtrusive mechanical ventilation help as is possible. 

Just had our first "heat wave" of the year in Seattle (over 90 one day!)  My wife's a mid-west girl, so when it gets hot, she opens the windows.  Not a good idea when it's still only 74 in the house.  I've got her using the IR thermometer now.

Mark

Mark;

yes, believe it or not we do occasionally need heat. But won't be until Dec - Feb,  it occasionally gets in the high 20s at night. but will set t-stat to come on @ 65, only comes on a 1/2 dozen times a year even when I leave some windows open