Keeping your home warm and energy-efficient is a priority for many homeowners. But what if unseen gaps and inefficiencies are silently costing you money and reducing comfort? A thermographic survey can reveal these hidden problems, allowing you to make informed decisions about your property’s energy performance.

In this blog you’ll learn:

What is a Thermographic Survey?

A thermographic survey uses infrared imaging to assess a building’s thermal performance, detecting temperature variations that indicate heat loss, air leakage or other inefficiencies. Thermographers use specialised infrared cameras to capture thermal signatures, revealing areas where heat escapes from a building.

These thermal images, or thermograms, highlight warmer and cooler areas of the building envelope, making it easy to pinpoint problems such as missing insulation, thermal bridging, or air leaks. In short, a thermal survey allows you to visually map where heat is escaping from your home.

Thermographic Survey. West of England Combined Authority - Retrofit West, Building Energy Experts visit. August 2024.
Our assessor capturing interior thermal images of a clients home

The Importance of Energy Efficiency in the UK

The UK’s housing stock is among the least energy-efficient in Europe. Homes account for 26% of all the UK’s energy use, with space and water heating make up around 80% of total domestic energy consumption. Much of this energy escapes through poorly insulated areas, providing little benefit while costing homeowners money. This makes thermographic surveys essential for identifying where improvements are needed.

Benefits of a Thermal Imaging Survey for homes

  1. Improved Energy Efficiency: By identifying ares of heat loss, you can target specific improvements such as adding insulation or sealing air leaks, reducing energy bills and your carbon footprint.
  2. Enhanced Comfort: Addressing issues like thermal bridging and air leakage creates a more stable indoor temperature, making your home comfortable year-round.
  3. Early Detection of Problems: Thermographic surveys can detect insulation faults, moisture ingress, or air leaks early, preventing them from developing into costly repairs. These surveys also help identify cold spots that could lead to condensation and mould growth, ensuring a healthier living environment.
  4. Quality Assurance for Insulation: Thermal surveys serve as a quality check for insulation, ensuring it is installed properly and consistently, helping you avoid heat loss through improperly insulated areas.
  5. Identify Air Leakage: Combined with air tightness testing, thermal imaging is the most effective way to locate air leaks in the building envelope. These leaks can significantly affect energy efficiency and indoor comfort.
  6. BREEAM Compliance: Thermal Imaging Surveys can help meet BREEAM building sustainability standards. BREEAM assessments award credits for testing and inspecting the building’s fabric using thermal imaging, which adheres to the BS EN 13187 standard.

What does a Thermographic Survey involve?

  1. Consultation: We begin by discussing your property details, concerns, and objectives to ensure a tailored approach.
  2. Scheduling: Surveys are ideally conducted during colder months (most commonly between November and April) and in the early morning or late afternoon/evening. This is to avoid direct sunlight, which can interfere with readings. For more information please read our blog on Thermographic Survey Requirements – this outlines key considerations to ensure optimal conditions for the survey.
  3. Survey Process: Our trained technicians use infrared cameras to capture thermal images of your home’s interior and exterior. The process typically takes 1-2 hours, depending on the size of the property. Unlike many competitors, we perform both internal and external assessments to give you a complete understanding of heat loss.
  4. Reporting: Within 5-10 business days, you’ll receive a detailed report with thermal images and findings. These insights can guide improvements that enhance your heating efficiency and, in some cases, the performance of air conditioning units.
  5. Taking Action: Implementing the recommendations from your thermographic survey will not only save you money on energy bills but will also reduce your home’s carbon footprint. This is a win for both your wallet and the environment.

What’s Next?

Ready to take control of your home’s energy efficiency? Contact us today to schedule a thermographic survey and start making informed decisions about your property’s performance. Whether you’re dealing with an older home or a new build, residential or commercial property.

Our comprehensive heat loss survey includes both thermal imaging and air tightness testing, giving you a detailed understanding of where heat is escaping from your property and what to do about it.

Get in touch today to see how we can help you improve the energy-efficiency of your property.

We’ve teamed up with Retrofit West and the West of England Combined Authority to offer 70% off home assessments. The voucher applies to air tightness tests, advanced air tightness tests (with a full house ventilation survey) and thermographic surveys.  Follow the link here to learn more.

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