Thermal imaging camera loan scheme
Warwick District Council is working with local constituted community groups from across Warwick District, including Town and Parish Councils, to provide a free thermal imaging camera loan scheme, to help private residents identify areas of their home where the energy efficiency can be improved.
If you would like to loan a camera, please enquire with your nearest community group, who will be able to talk you through the process.
| Community group | Email address |
|---|---|
| Bishops Tachbrook Parish Council | martin@bishopstachbrook.com |
| Chase Meadow Residents' Association | chasemeadowra@gmail.com |
| Cubbington Parish Council | clerk@cubbington.org.uk |
| Eathorpe, Hunningham, Offchurch and Wappenbury Joint Parish Councils | Contact form |
| Norton Lindsey Parish Council | jon.stobart@nortonlindseyparishcouncil.gov.uk |
| Shrewley Parish Council | clerk@shrewleyparish.gov.uk |
| Whitnash Town Council | jenny.mason@whitnashtowncouncil.gov.uk |
How to use the thermal imaging camera
Kenilworth Town Council thermal imaging loan scheme
Kenilworth Town Council also has a well-established thermal imaging camera loan scheme for the town, which is entirely operated and funded by Kenilworth Town Council.
If you live in Kenilworth, please contact the Town Council:
Interpreting the thermal images
A thermal imaging camera takes images of the infra-red light that a building emits. This is used to show the temperature of the objects or people the camera is looking at. Different levels of infra-red light are shown in camera images as different colours e.g. blue for a cold area, red for a hot area.
Using the camera
Before you get started, read the Flir One Edge user guide.
Interpreting the images
In order to interpret a thermal image, it is necessary to study it closely and think about the following things.
The image’s focus – is the focus of the image clear or blurry? A blurry image will be harder to interpret, and measurement won’t be as easy.
The distance between the object being photographed and the camera – objects that are further away from the camera are more likely to have temperature readings encroach on them from other parts of a room or outside the building e.g. from the ceiling or sky. This will make it harder to get an accurate result.
Whether the image was taken inside or outside – images taken outside can have sun reflections in them and so appear to be warmer than they really are, so look carefully at any images taken outside.
Whether the object being photographed can emit its own infra-red waves – some objects can emit their own waves, known as ‘emissivity’. Low-emissivity objects can reflect the heat in the area around them, so photographs of such objects may not provide an accurate temperature reading. Shiny metal surfaces including mirrors, will appear to be cooler than they really are, so pay close attention to other parts of the object (if it is not all shiny) or the objects directly next to your shiny object to get a more accurate reading.
The density of the photographed object – more dense objects will heat up more slowly and cool down more quickly. Less dense objects will heat up more quickly and cool down more slowly.
What the camera will show you
Issues you might identify include:
- Draughts around windows and doors
- Broken or poor quality door and window seals
- Missing or poorly installed patches of cavity wall insulation
- Poorly insulated windows (usually single glazed)
Remember: a thermal imaging camera does not provide the whole picture of how to change your home’s insulation for the better; it just provides basic information on hot/cold spots to get you thinking about what changes you could make to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Example images
Image 1
Image 1 shows a cooker that has been turned off. Note how the cooker is still producing heat as it cools down, as it is a dense, shiny metal object.
Remember: everything has a temperature, both the object you are photographing and those that are around it. The relative temperatures of your object and the background can affect how they are perceived on the image.
Once you have considered these things, then look at the different temperature areas and make note of what colour they are. The potential colours are as follows:
- Blue: this is a cold area of the object
- Red: this is a hot area of the object
- Yellow: this is a medium-temperature area of the object
Image 2
Image 2 shows an external door. Note the blue areas under the door, which show where cold is coming into the house from the outside.
Image 3
Image 3 shows a window. You can see that the sides and bottom of the window are cooler than the top as they are a darker blue. This is where the cold is coming into the house. The seals around the window may have perished and could be replaced.
Image 4
Image 4 shows an internal hallway. The dark blue patch towards the middle of the image on the left shows a patch where the hallway is cool. As the rest of the hallway is much warmer, we can tell that this is where cold is getting into the house, possibly through a gap in the skirting board.
Image 5
Image 5 shows how this uninsulated loft hatch is allowing draughts to enter the room. An action to solve this problem could be to insulate the loft hatch and check the seals to stop rising heat being lost.
Further support
For support with energy efficiency in your home, speak to an advisor at Act on Energy, an award-winning energy advice charity, working in partnership with Warwick District Council. Call 0800 988 2881 or visit their website.
Visit our home energy pages for further links and advice on home energy help and any grants available.
With thanks to Napton Environmental Action Team for providing images and data.