I borrowed a thermal imaging camera [attachment] from Greener Suffolk

I walked down the Street / Causeway and took some photos of the outside of houses.

Note – white/yellow is hot – heat leaking from houses/windows – and blue is cold /cool. A window tends to be pale/white/yellow as it leaks heat through the glazing. Upstairs windows tend to be blueish because most people don’t have the heating on there, at least during the day. A roof tends to be pale/yellow if there is inadequate loft insulation – of course a roof and house can be cold because it’s empty!

Here are some photos taken through the village. Some show a distinct difference between neighbours roofs and windows [ assuming they are both there with heat on!]

Other householders have internal and external photos because they requested a visit – they get their own photos sent to them. [if colours not visible on this page, click on first and >through to see colours].

Thermal imaging project January 2023

Greener Suffolk are concerned about the effects of a Climate Emergency upon the residents of Suffolk, and they have lent some thermal imaging cameras to groups around Suffolk. The photos taken and the conversation around them raises issues about:

• saving fuel – [producing less Carbon in the atmosphere]
• therefore saving money for residents
• by insulating homes and keeping the heat within the house.

22 homeowners requested the consultation, and external photographs were taken of much of the village. Over 100 photos were taken for the homeowners.

Houses observed ranged from several from the 15th/16th century, to Victorian cottages, to 60’s 70’s ‘modern’ builds, and finally a 2021 house built aspiring to be Passiv house standard.

All houses visited were warm because the heating was on [perhaps more so knowing I was visiting]. Most houses can be comfortable if enough heating is input, but to maintain that temperature can be costly. The most ‘expensive’ house used 2,500 to 3,000 litres of oil a year! The ‘cheapest’ house to run required little energy from the Grid, and was partially energy-independant [though at some substantial investment in technology].

All houses had thermal hotspots and coldspots, many of which were in areas you might anticipate, but the photos helped confirm to the householder that these existed and might be mitigated.

What worked in most houses?

Door curtains were common in many houses, and very effectively prevent hot air rising up the stairs to be replaced by cold air coming down. Most homes – in winter – do not have much heat upstairs in bedrooms so there exists a lot of cold air up there waiting to be allowed downstairs.

Window curtains, like door curtains, were quite efficient if lined or thick enough. Some houses had hot radiators below cold windows, yet the curtains were hanging allowing the heat to go behind the curtain, and out of the glazing. This could be remedied by adjusting the size or position of the curtains to retain radiator heat within the room.

Secondary glazing was used in many older houses, ranging from plastic ‘foil’ which is cheap and stuck on to interior frames, to wooden frames holding double glazed panels. In more modern houses, some had leaky seals around doors and windows [=draughts], but generally, even though the glazing was ‘modern double glazed’ windows and patio doors represent large areas of cool air inside, and visibly leak heat to the outside.

Radiator reflectors ranged from thin cooking foil, to a commercial version with polystyrene backing. Walls with no reflectors visibly [through Infra red] sent some of their heat through the wall to the outside. The foil has to be attached to the wall and not the radiator!

Wall hangings whether tapestries or paintings etc made a noticeable difference on many external walls.

Loft insulation existed in most houses, but the IR showed that some roofs could not be insulated sufficiently. We could see cold rafters through plastered ceilings in many houses. Insulation is typically rolls of rockwool/glassfibre and is now recommended to be up to 2ft / 60cm. Warmer Suffolk and Groundworks East do identify grants to help you install or upgrade loft insulation.

Will it be expensive? You do not have to spend much to keep warmer and save fuel. Loft insulation and draught exclusion is very cost effective, and grants may be available. Double glazing alternatives – film and panels – make a big difference and can be DIY.

What were potential problems for fuel efficiency?

Several residents had oil fired Aga’s – which were very efficient in heating rooms – at a cost!

Most people had wood burners, either for regular or occasional use. These are effective in heating rooms but like most fuels/electricity are rising in cost, though several homes had their own supply of logs on their land.

Some houses were Listed buildings and/or in Conservation areas and were prevented from using double glazing, or external cladding.

Potential solutions?

These were discussed with most homeowners where appropriate.

Climate Emergency / Net zero targets for the end of this decade are likely to increase the cost of fuels. Already the sale of coal is set to be banned shortly, and it is possible that the air pollution and carbon emitting effects of wood burning may limit the sale of wood or stoves. Gas and oil heating solutions will be subject to banning after 2030, so alternatives will have to be sought.

Cladding your house could be expensive, though future governments may subsidise this, but cladding may not be appropriate to all houses, architecturally or subject to planning / conservation rules.