Part of the Your Energy Saving Service (YESS)

Why Thermal Imaging

Infrared camera surveys are especially useful if you want to:

• Take a further step after completing a HESK survey
• Cut carbon and energy bills
• Have a cosier home
• Live without condensation and mould
• Identify priorities for future home improvements
• Check renovation or improvement work has been done properly
• Spot and rectify heat loss before an Air Source Heat Pump assessment
• You may have other reasons; whatever they are

The Survey

All homes lose heat in one way or another, and a thermal imaging survey makes this visible. The purpose of the survey is to identify if the property has areas where heat loss may be excessive. If any anomalies are found, we take a closer look to understand what is causing them — most commonly damp, draughts and/or insufficient insulation.

Normally, depending on your requirements,  we survey each room internally (nothing needs to be packed away) as well as the whole property externally. Surveys typically take around two hours and must be carried out in suitable weather conditions found between late November to early March.

Surveys usually result in one of three outcomes:
a) No significant anomalies are found. Most people are pleased by this!
b) Anomalies are identified and there are clear, straightforward solutions to rectify them.
c) More rarely, anomalies are identified but determining the cause and/or solution requires the input from a suitably qualified professional.  In these cases, the LGV report you receive is designed to provide enough information for further advice to be given remotely, i.e. without the need of another visit — although this will depend on the nature and severity of the issue.

After the Survey you will receive a report consisting of the images and data collected.  If anomalies have been found, these will be highlighted and if we know, we’ll explain their likely causes.  Reports may take a week or two to prepare.  

Throughout this process, please bear in mind that surveys are carried out by Llangattock Green Valley volunteers who have been trained to identify anomalies and collect data in a consistent, methodical manner. They are not qualified nor insured to provide remedial advice. LGV’s Your Energy Saving Scheme includes details of trusted people and organisations that are able to offer further support.

The Run-Up to a Survey

As soon as you know that you want a Thermal Imaging survey, please tell us and we’ll put you on the waiting list which is open all year round.  We will ask you for some basic information about your property and most importantly what you want from the survey.

After this step, it is a waiting game for the right weather – ideally cold, cloudy and dry.

As a weather window approaches (1 to 2 weeks if we’re lucky) we contact people at the top of the waiting list to see who’s available.  Communications between us will increase until a date and time is set. 

If appropriate we’ll ask you to record some simple temperature and humidity readings from about 24 hrs before the survey (we’ll provide the thermometer/hygrometer if you don’t have them).

On The Day – How to Prepare for a Survey

➤ To get the best results it helps that your home is heated and warm.  Please heat up your house with your normal heating system for a couple of hours before we arrive.   The idea is to get the fabric (walls, floor & ceiling) of your house consistently and thoroughly warm (this is to create a difference of at least 12 degrees Celsius between the property’s internal fabric and the external temperature). If you have a central heating system, open up the radiators/underfloor heating in rooms where you might usually have them low.

➤ Half an hour before the survey:

● Switch off the central heating.

● Open all curtains and blinds.

The Cost

Llangattock Green Valleys is a community organisation focused on creating a greener and more sustainable future for the local community and its neighbours. We don’t charge for Thermal Imaging Surveys but we do ask for donations based on your circumstances and how useful the survey has been. Donations range from £30 (images only) to £100 (images & report), these are far below the commercial rate.

To make a donation when it’s appropriate, head to www.paypal.com/paypalme/donate2LGV

Alternatively you can donate via direct bank transfer:

Account: Llangattock Green Valleys CIC

Sort Code: 089299

Account Number: 65404214

Reference: Please quote. IRCAM

Related documents

• “Your Property Summary”
• “What You Want from the Survey”
• “Between Us – the Agreement”
  

By The Way

Thermal Imaging can be more than Heat Loss  

• Mapping hidden pipework or circuits in underfloor heating
  
  
• Checking boiler flow and return temperatures are set correctly (wrong settings can cost a fortune)
  
  
• Heat-safety checks on your Consumer Unit (fuse box) to ensure circuits aren’t overloaded
  
  
• Tracing damp or water ingress in walls, floors or ceilings

And more