Thermal analysis Thermography Ireland Allied Energy Rating specialists in BER Building Energy Rating across Ireland

Thermal Analysis

If you want to make improvements to the energy efficiency of an existing building a good place to start is with a Thermal Analysis. A Thermal Analysis is a review of the building fabric with a thermal imaging camera to determine how effective the insulation properties of the building elements are and to identify and problem areas. The thermal imaging can be applied to any building element from walls, roof, windows, doors and even the floor. The Thermal Analysis must be carried out by a trained and experienced operator as a good quality thermal imaging camera is a complex piece of equipment and is only as good as the operator who uses it.

See the following examples from Thermal Analysis we have carried out:

Thermal image base of outside wall

A higher temperature along the base of an outside wall indicates a thermal bridging effect and underlines the importance of ensuring the recommendations of building regulations are followed (see our resource section for the building regulations)

Thermal image ceiling insulation missing

A lower temperature on a section of ceiling indicates a gap in the insulation in this area above the ceiling plasterboard.

Thermal image double glazing metal spacer

The spacer between double glazing panes can be made from metal or alternatively a thermoplastic material. In this case a metal spacer was used and this leads to higher heat loss through the window in the area of the spacer as indicated by a higher temperature in the thermal image when taken from outside the house. This is an important consideration when installing or replacing windows.

Thermal image front door

The thermal image of the front door shows a higher temperature in the diagonal glass indicating that this double glazing is not effective and it is likely that there is a leak in the seal. The higher temperature around the top and edges of the door indicated a problem with the door seals in this area.

These are just some examples of the type of information which can be found from an effective Thermal Analysis. The real benefit to carrying out a Thermal Analysis is in identifying the key issues in the building fabric and targeting spend on improvements where they will have the most impact.