The best outdoor laser level
is rarely affected by moderate weather changes. Unfortunately, unpredictable weather can affect the accuracies of low-quality laser levels significantly. Professionals often include minor errors caused by weather variations in their final measurements and results.High-end laser levels come with weather protection features, including debris and water-resistance features, automatic switches, and a self-leveling feature. You can optimize all features available on a laser level to reduce the effects of bad weather on accuracy, brightness, and measurement range.
In What Way Can Weather Affect Accuracy Of An Exterior Laser Level
Air has different temperature distributions across its layers, which can affect the movement and direction of laser beams even though such distortions can be negligible. Different temperature distribution in the air will disrupt the speed and direction of the light, though in a minimal amount.
Weather can affect the brightness of your exterior laser level. For example, if you are leveling under bright sunlight, visibility will somehow be reduced when compared to leveling under cooler and slightly darker conditions. The red laser levels are affected mainly by the effect of weather on brightness.
That is why people go for green laser levels that have up to four times the brightness of red laser levels. Rain, fog, snow, and wind have been found to have the most adverse effects on the accuracy of laser levels.
The Weather Effect Becomes Significant with Extended Range
The range is another factor contributing to weather's effect on laser beam projections. While most laser levels may not depreciate inaccuracy under adverse weather up to 75% of their maximum range, they tend to display more significant inaccuracies towards the end of their maximum range.
This means that the effect of weather on your laser level measurement becomes pronounced as you reach the device's maximum range. As stated in professional’s
outdoor laser level reviews, weather resistance is one of the most essential factors people should check before buying an exterior laser level.How to Improve Outdoor Laser Levels’ Accuracy Under Unfavorable Weather Conditions
There are ways to strengthen your laser level and improve its accuracy against the most adverse weather conditions. For instance, you may want to use a laser detector attached to a grading rod to find your laser beam before you begin measuring. The laser detector would have taken care of any regularities caused by adverse weather conditions. Thus, giving you a valid point to read your measurements.
You may also want to use your outdoor laser level when in favorable weather. Though it can be difficult to avoid bad weather, you can find the time to take your measurements when the weather is least disruptive.
You may also want to use an optical viewfinder accessory to locate your laser beam on the surface of a target before taking measurements. An optical viewfinder helps you find the correct measurement angle to boost accuracy. It would be best if you also considered reducing the range of the laser beam to boost accuracy when measuring under bad weather conditions.
Finally, you can locate the top laser levels for outdoor use
by checking out product reviews and comparison guides on the Laser Level Hub website.