By Robb Simcox

Thermal fields are basically fancy names for pockets of air that are different temperatures. Generally we do not examine a field that is only 1 to 3 degrees different than the surrounding area. We really start to take notice of fields after they reach about 10 degrees difference from the surrounding area. This usually is what is commonly called "cold spots". This is however not the only field that can occur, we can also experience the less common "hot field" but that is real rare.

During an investigation we try to get an average temperature for each room or space we are researching. The key is not to place your instrmentation on items that usually have a temperature that are dramatically lower than the area. These matierials can be metal,stone,concrete,glass,ect. These types of materials can warp your readings due to their 20-30 degrees average temperature LESS than thier environment.

What we are generally looking for is something that is drastically different than it's immediate surroundings in teperature. These pockets are then investigated thoroughly to make sure that it isn't a common draft or some other explainable source. The key to this is the recording of the outdoor temperature. The outdoor reading is needed for when you might encounter a pocket of air that has an inconsistent reading with it's surroundings. You then can use your average outdoor reading to compare any questionable readings you might have encountered. This part of the investigation is very important to document carefully. This is a part that can change from moment to moment.

This I think is one of the most tedious parts of our investigations. It can be very repetitive, and can get out of hand very quickly if not documented correctly. Sloppy documentation in this area can make an entire investigation useless in regards to the Thermal Fields.