Heat Loss Survey
With our experience as a qualified Thermographer and Retrofit Coordinator, Eco Tiffin can assess your home and recommend energy- and money-saving options, improving your home’s comfy factor. We’re committed to providing sound advice for our clients to reduce the risk of poor investments and save money with both long- and short-term solutions.
With prices starting from just £495+VAT, our surveys will reveal exactly where you house is hurting your wallet, your comfort levels, and the environment.
Are you…
- living in a pre-1990 houses and looking at improving comfort, reducing energy bills and cutting your carbon footprint?
- looking to invest in redevelopment and retrofit opportunities and need to know where your money should be spent?
- concerned about health conditions caused by fungi and moulds – a frequent issue in poorly insulated homes?
- planning to install double / triple glazing, extra insulation or high-efficiency boilers, thermostats and timers but want to know before and after costs?
Then an Eco Tiffin survey is the ideal next step.
How it works
Thermography is used to identify thermal defects in buildings by measuring and recording the reflected energy of an object or area – cold areas appear darker, while warmer areas are red or white. Armed with this information – and our expert feedback on what it tells us – homeowners can make smarter decisions on what improvements they carry out.
Our recommendations aim to improve and maximise the thermal qualities of the whole structure, taking into account the age, condition, usage, the status of the property (example listed). The result is a series of retrofit suggestions based around long- and short-term goals that will save money, improve comfort and reduce energy waste.
Our surveys include:
- an overview of the property as to its year, construction type and architectural historical significance
- an energy loss survey when the walls are wet (and therefore, cold)
- highlighting any cold bridging, poorly fitted / applied insulation, and draughts
- a strategy for improving the thermal envelope, covering suggestions for loft, roof areas, all habitable spaces, and walls & floors
- ventilation requirements for improved insulation levels
After that, we’ll provide a full specification on the works needed to solve the problems, along with detailed costs, projected savings, and timescales for the retrofitting.
Download an example survey to see the depth of information you can expect, or read about the full range of survey options.
REDUCE HEAT LOSS BY:
%
Installing loft insulation - up to 25%
%
Installing Cavity/EWI - up to 35%
%
Installing floor insulation - up to 15%
%
Upgrading doors and window - up to 15%
Request a survey
To speak to our thermography experts and start the journey to short and long-term home improvements, fill out the form and we’ll call you back.
What is a thermal envelope?
A thermal envelope is the permitter of the habitable space of a dwelling, this protects from the elements, it should be continuous to reduce the transfer of heat from interior to exterior.
I want solar panels or heat pump; would a thermal survey still be beneficial?
Yes, Prior to considering any form of new or renovated heat/hot water system either by traditional means or more sustainable methods (heat pumps – solar – gas – sun amps etc). You need to ensure your building is as energy efficient as possible.
This will involve knowing how to retrofit the huge collection of insulation materials in the marketplace today. Some, more appropriate than others depending on the architectural heritage and construction type of each building. Upgrading or introducing modern heat pumps, for example including necessary alterations and adaptations to the existing systems can easily be 20/30k. Therefore, a heating engineer will need to know how you have improved the insulation to calculate and to recommend the smallest appropriate boiler/ heat pump which will save you insulation costs and running costs. Identifying and assessing the existing condition and thermal performance of the existing envelope and specifying the improvements is called “fabric first approach” and must be the beginning part of the improvement process. This process is best carried out by experienced, qualified thermographers and building surveyors.
What is a thermal bridge?
A cold bridge is also known as a thermal bridge or a thermal bypass. In simple terms it is an area where heat loss occurs. Thermal bridges in buildings impact the amount of energy required to heat and cool a space, they cause condensation, mould and damp within the building envelope, in turn creating an unhealthy living environment.
A thermal bridge is an area which has higher thermal conductivity than the surrounding materials, creating a path of least resistance for heat transfer. We discuss the term thermal bridge in the context of the building’s thermal envelope where thermal bridges result in heat transfer into or out of a conditioned (living) space.
The common areas for a cold bridge are:
- Window and door reveals
- Lintel positions
- Floor and wall intersections and abutments
- Wall and ceiling intersections and abutments
- Eaves details
- Dormer, cheeks, aprons, eaves and reveals
- Suspended ground floors
- Flat roofs
How long will a thermal survey take?
Depending on the size of the property and the complexity of it we would expect it to take anywhere between 3-5 hours on site.
Do I need to move furniture before the survey?
No, there should not be a need to move furniture, but the survey will help if they think it is necessary.
Can a thermal survey be carried out in warmer weather?
Yes it can, we ideally would like an 8 degree difference, we overcome this in the warmer months by starting early in the morning and we ask you to put your heating on 24hours before the survey. This will still demonstrate heat loss on our thermal cameras!
What can the camera see?
The camera can detect missing insulation, cold bridging, heat transfer and draughts.
Our Director, Robert Tiffin, hosting an ‘Expert Takeover’ at Grand Designs Live in Birmingham.
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