Heat Loss Investigation
A focused investigation into where, how and why your home is losing heat — combining FLIR thermal imaging, surface-temperature mapping and fabric analysis to pinpoint the real sources of heat loss before any money is spent on remediation.
Real FLIR thermal images from completed heat-loss surveys — cold corners, windows, reveals and wall areas where the building is losing heat.
Heat Loss Investigation — in plain English.
A heat loss investigation uses calibrated FLIR thermal imaging to measure the surface temperature of your building's fabric and reveal exactly where heat is escaping. Rather than guessing from your energy bills, we map the cold surfaces, doors, glazing and junctions that are draining heat — and quantify which ones matter most.
The symptoms that bring people to this service.
- 01Rooms that never feel warm no matter how high the heating is set
- 02Heating bills far higher than comparable homes
- 03Cold walls, draughts and uncomfortable spots near windows and doors
- 04A new boiler or more radiators that didn't fix the cold
- 05Suspected missing or under-performing insulation
- 06Cold, hard-to-heat extensions, bays and loft rooms
Our diagnostic approach
- 01Walkthrough to record where the home feels coldest and why
- 02Internal FLIR thermal imaging under a stabilised indoor/outdoor temperature differential (≥10 °C)
- 03External thermal scans (where access allows) to confirm fabric heat loss
- 04Surface-temperature comparison between affected areas and sound reference areas
- 05Findings interpreted against construction type, age and any previous works
What we bring on site
- FLIR thermal imaging camera (calibrated, radiometric)
- Surface-temperature probe and infrared spot thermometer
- Humidity / dewpoint logger to relate heat loss to condensation risk
- Blower door fan (depressurisation reveals draught-driven heat loss)
The science behind the diagnosis.
Heat always flows from warm to cold, through conduction, convection and radiation. The greater the temperature difference and the poorer the insulation, the faster heat escapes. A thermal camera reads the radiation from each surface — so insulation gaps, cold bridges and leaky openings appear as cold patches, showing precisely where, and how fast, your home is losing heat.
Measured benefits — not vague promises.
- Know exactly where heat is being lost — before spending on remediation
- Target the fabric improvements that deliver the biggest comfort and bill savings
- Avoid wasted spend on the wrong upgrades
- Measured evidence for retrofit planning, grants or disputes
- A clear fabric-first plan from a Certified Passive House Designer
What we investigate
- Continuous cold surfaces across walls, floors and roofs losing heat to outside
- Poorly insulated doors, glazing and reveals acting as heat-loss hotspots
- External-wall sections and junctions underperforming against the rest of the envelope
- Cold bridging at wall-to-ceiling and wall-to-floor junctions
- Draught-driven heat loss around openings and service penetrations
What you receive
- Annotated thermal images locating each heat-loss area
- Surface-temperature comparison between affected and sound areas
- A prioritised list of where heat loss is costing you the most
- A building-physics-led remediation plan — fabric first, no guesswork
What we commonly discover during heat loss investigation investigations
- 01Large continuous cold wall areas losing heat faster than the heating can replace it
- 02Poorly insulated external doors and single-skin glazing acting as major heat-loss paths
- 03Cold external-wall sections behind furniture where airflow is restricted
- 04Heat loss concentrated at wall-to-ceiling junctions and structural edges
- 05Bay windows and projecting structures losing disproportionate amounts of heat
- 06Uninsulated or under-insulated lofts, eaves and dwarf walls
Findings reflect patterns observed across completed RetrofitIQ projects — every survey is interpreted in the building’s specific context.
See this service applied on real investigations
Heat Loss Investigation — common questions
What is a heat loss investigation?+
It's a focused diagnostic survey that uses thermal imaging and surface-temperature measurement to identify exactly where your home is losing heat — walls, glazing, doors, junctions and gaps — so remediation can be targeted at the areas that matter most.How is it different from a thermal imaging survey?+
A thermal imaging survey is the diagnostic tool; a heat loss investigation applies that tool specifically to quantify and prioritise heat loss across the building fabric, then sets out a fabric-first plan to reduce it.When is the best time to carry one out?+
During colder months, when there is a sufficient temperature difference between inside and outside (typically ≥10 °C). This makes heat-loss patterns clearly visible on the thermal image.Will it tell me how to fix the problem?+
Yes. You receive a prioritised, building-physics-led remediation plan — and because we Investigate, Diagnose, Design, Remediate and Verify, the same team can carry out and verify the work.
One company. One process. One point of responsibility.
We don’t simply identify problems. We investigate, diagnose, design solutions, carry out the work and verify the results. Book a Home Health Diagnostic Survey and we’ll tell you exactly which remedial works (if any) are actually needed.