Free infra-red heat surveys for householders in Dunbar
COMING SOON!
We are just preparing to launch this project. We are currently recruiting extra volunteers to join our team. Volunteers will need to be able to commit an average of around two hours per week, carrying out surveys after dark through the winter months and compiling follow up reports to householders. Full training will be given.
If you are interested to get involved as a volunteer, or to express interest in having your home surveyed please complete this short form.
WHAT IS AN INFRA-RED HEAT SURVEY?
An infra-red Heat Survey can show you where your house is losing heat – enabling you to take action to reduce heat loss. This could save you money, help you stay warmer and help reduce CO2 emissions.
Our Community Heat Team volunteers will use a handheld thermal camera that can ‘see’ the heat or infrared radiation given off by objects to take thermal images of the inside of your property.
Following the survey, you will receive a visual report with these thermal images so as to help you locate many sources of heat loss, such as draughts, areas of missing insulation, damp patches, cold bridging from the outside and so on.
The team do not aim to replace professional building surveyors or provide technical advice – but to help make householders aware of how and where your homes might be losing heat and where to go for technical advice and support to make your home more energy efficient.
More about heat surveys
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A HEAT SURVEY?
An Infrared Heat Survey can show you where your house might be losing heat in different ways, enabling you to take action to reduce your heat loss.
The survey might identify some quick wins – simple things to fix that will make an immediate difference – but may also identify some bigger, potential issues that require more investigation to address. Overall, our aims are to help you save money, stay warmer and reduce CO2 emissions.
WHY DOES IT NEED TO BE DONE AFTER DARK?
The visit needs to be on a cold, dry, calm evening and after dark, as we require a significant temperature difference between the inside and the outside to be able to ‘see’ the heat loss. This means that if the weather is unseasonably warm, very wet or windy then a booked survey may need to be rearranged. Apologies in advance if we have to do this – It’s something outside our control!
WHAT SORT OF HEAT LOSS MIGHT WE SEE?
An infrared survey can identify a range of different types of heat loss situations, including draughts, missing insulation, damp spots, etc. Some of these issues can be rectified easily, for example by installing draught excluders, but others might need more specialist follow-up diagnosis.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SURVEY?
The survey process will take about 1 hour in total. When your Heat Team volunteer arrives, they will take some external and internal measurements of temperature, humidity and wind speed. They will then begin taking a series of images with the thermal camera. It is totally up to you which parts of your house you want us to look at. If you would like to, you will be welcome to try using the thermal camera yourself during the visit.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SURVEY?
After the survey your Heat Team volunteer will send you a pdf report containing the thermographic images from the survey and any potential issues identified. Our Heat Team volunteers are trained to provide basic energy efficiency advice, but will offer you a referral to Home Energy Scotland for any further technical investigations or funding questions.
This project is part of an East Lothian wide project supported by East Lothian Climate Hub, with funding from Tyne and Esk Local Action Group paying for purchase of the hardware. The project is inspired and supported by the successful West Linton Community Heat Project which has been running since 2022.