At the present time Act on Energy are not performing Thermal Surveys.

If we could see heat escaping from our homes we may be more inclined to improve the amount of insulation.

Heat escapes through all external elements such as the wall, windows, roof and floor and through draughts. If we take temperature readings we can tell where heat is being lost. If each temperature is represented by a different colour so we can then see it.

Thermal images are pictures made up from many temperature readings so the image is like looking at a heat map of an object. This can be very useful in identifying areas where more heat is escaping than may be desirable and this helps to check if more insulation is needed.

Taking external images of a house shows where most heat is being lost and clearly shows problem areas such as where cavity wall insulation is missing or faulty draught proofing on windows.

Internal images can reveal where insulation is missing from the roof space and where cold bridging is occurring in walls. They can also show the position of heating pipes in the floor or concealed in walls. They can even identify water leaks and where condensation is likely.