Nailsea Town Council have invested in a thermal image camera for a local volunteer group called ‘Home Energy Task force’. The thermal image camera was funded as part of the ‘Ask Nailsea’ Initiative.

The Home Energy Task Force offer free property surveys to householders to help identify heat loss in their homes which could result in higher heating bills. They can then recommend how this heat loss could be rectified or reduced, including sign posting people to available grants that could help fund the costs of any remedial work . The surveys can only really take place in the winter months when there is a significant difference between the outside and inside temperatures of surveyed properties. This is normally between October to March.

The thermal image camera is anecdotally called a ‘Heat Gun’ and allows a full survey of a property showing cold areas where there is heat loss. Using thermal cameras to detect heat loss isn’t a new idea. The process is known as ‘Thermography’ and is regularly used in the building and construction industry. The Thermal cameras use infrared scanning to detect thermal defects. Traditional temperature sensors only measure specific spots. Thermal cameras enable a clear and constant visualisation of heat distribution across entire areas.

Thermal scans can diagnose areas needing repair, maintenance or increased insulation to minimise wasted energy. The thermal images can isolate various causes of heat loss including detecting faulty insulation as well hotter surface temperatures. They can identify leaks and gaps such as cooler spots on pipes, roofs and walls, pinpointing equipment overheating as well local hot spots. They can help map uneven heat distribution and highlight performance issues with boilers etc.  The impact of Heat Loss can include spiking energy bills, equipment damage from overheating and more frequent replacements as opposed to repairs.

The Home Energy Task force volunteers, John Belton, Helen Gavin and Joe Tristram, all have City and Guilds level 3 Energy Awareness qualifications. They are keen to help householders reduce their energy bills and to also help in a small way to reduce carbon omissions and therefore global warming.

John Belton says ‘ We are very pleased to be able to offer this survey so that householders can identify areas of heat loss in their homes and where possible make changes to reduce their heating bills. If you wish to arrange a survey please complete the form here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJmMnSQuyRoKVtEG5_KELCzHHcMmWJsJ7baa1YEiX9t5UG8Q/viewform.

However, this survey will only work until the end of March or possibly to the end of April depending on the temperatures at this time. We will be opening up for surveys again from October 2024’