Thermal Imaging

The building Fabric should be constructed to a particular quality so that the insulation is reasonably continuous over the whole building envelope. Thermal imaging can be used to prove compliance.

Our thermographic techniques can be applied to a building in order to satisfy the demands of these building regulations. Using specific parameters to enable the inspection to take place and coupled with equations to determine temperature factors/critical surface temperatures, it is possible for our inspections to assess the continuity of insulation across the entire surface area. From this we can use our methods to determine what is reasonably continuous and what is not deemed acceptable. It is possible for us to quantify the performance of the insulation present in many structures, existing or new builds.

Surveys

Thermographic surveys are normally only carried out once there is a temperature difference of 8-10°C between the internal space and the external elevation of the building. There must be reasonable access to all areas to be surveyed and the survey can not be undertaken if any of the building surfaces are wet.

Thermal imaging can also identify other potentially serious envelope defects such-as air leakage or water ingress into insulation elements

Qualitative Assessment

Although modern infrared cameras can measure heat emission and surface temperatures very precisely, infrared Thermography must be considered a qualitative tool and it is best to employ other methods to quantify heat losses from a building. Quantitative infrared surveys can only be conducted under very precise thermal and environmental conditions, which rarely if ever occur in the field

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