Residents can borrow a camera for free through a scheme run by energy experts Severn Wye in partnership with local libraries.
Energy efficiency surveys might sound technical but if you live in South Gloucestershire you can make a start yourself with an easy-to-use device that shows where buildings are leaking heat.
Inefficient homes cost hundreds of pounds more a year to heat than well-insulated, draught-proof properties. Thermal imaging cameras won’t replace a full energy efficiency survey, but they are a useful tool to give you an insight into how your home is doing.
How does it work?
The cameras have an infrared sensor that can ‘see’ heat and translate temperature variations into colours on a screen.
Greg Collier-Jones, Severn Wye’s Head of Retrofit and Development, says:
‘Imagine a laser thermometer used to take your temperature. Now imagine thousands of those bundled together, all pointing towards a window or corner of your room. The laser readings are fed back to the camera which processes the data and shows it as pixels on the camera screen.’
As you point the camera at different areas inside your home, the camera screen shows you areas of warmth and cold as different colours, with purple or blue typically revealing cool or even damp spots where heat is leaking out. Seen from the outside, these leaky spots will show up warmer than surrounding areas. Colours can be adjusted to a more appropriate scale for users who are colour blind.
Use one for free
As the technology of these devices has become simpler, it’s become more affordable to buy your own camera, but it might not be a good investment, as Greg Collier-Jones explains:
‘I would strongly advise against paying for a camera – you’re much better off paying an expert to do a walk-around survey with you so you can be sure what you’re looking at and get advice on the most effective steps to take.’
How to take part
You can borrow a camera through 13 South Gloucestershire libraries – you just have to be a library member. Loans are typically available from October to March.
Severn Wye has provided cameras for the scheme and one of their home energy experts will follow up on each camera loan after six months to find out about your experience with the camera and any changes you’ve made as a result of using it.
Find out more:
South Gloucestershire Council’s website
Severn Wye’s video guide, available on YouTube, will help you get the most out of your camera, and you can find operating instructions and more on www.warmandwell.co.uk/camera
More help with home energy
If you’d like impartial advice about taking further steps to make your home more energy efficient, Severn Wye offers a range of home energy services.
And while you’re waiting for your camera, you’ll find some top tips for keeping your home warm and more efficient on our advice and support pages.
