Infrared thermal imaging to detect heat loss and hidden defects
Our thermal imaging specialists carry out detailed infrared surveys across Brighton and Hove, using surface temperature differences to highlight heat loss that a normal visual check will miss. The camera reads variations to 0.1C, so cold patches, missing insulation and air leakage show up as clear patterns rather than guesswork. Non-invasive and non-destructive, the survey leaves finishes untouched while giving a fast picture of where energy is escaping. For buyers and owners across Brighton and Hove, that makes hidden defects much easier to tackle before they become comfort problems.
Homedata.co.uk records show that the average house price in Brighton and Hove was £404,000 in March 2026, down 3.3% from March 2025, with flats and maisonettes at £293,000 and detached homes at £843,000. That spread points to a market with very different building forms and very different heat-loss risks, especially where a converted flat sits beside a larger house or a later extension. Sales also slowed, with 2,918 houses and flats sold in 2023, compared with 4,339 the year before, so many owners are checking repair costs more closely. A thermal report helps separate a cosmetic mark from a real insulation defect.
Infrared imaging shows where warmth is leaking out and where cold air is getting in. Our surveyors look for heat loss through walls, roof spaces, floors and windows, then check for missing or collapsed cavity wall insulation, cold bridging at junctions, moisture ingress and draughts around doors and frames. The same scan can also pick up underfloor heating faults and unusual electrical hotspots, which is useful when a room feels uneven but looks sound. In a Brighton and Hove property sold for £293,000 or one valued at £843,000, the defect can be hidden in plain sight.
The strongest results appear when the temperature difference is clear enough for the camera to read properly. In winter, external and internal scans can expose a cold lintel, a gap in loft insulation or a strip of damp masonry long before a stain appears. That is why our thermal imaging specialists often work in the colder months, when the thermal pattern is sharp and easy to interpret. The report then turns that raw image into a practical list of repairs.
Homedata.co.uk records show an average Brighton and Hove house price of £404,000 in March 2026, and that figure sits alongside a wide spread between property types. Detached homes averaged £843,000, semi-detached homes £539,000, terraced homes £470,000, and flats and maisonettes £293,000. Local detail varies by exact address, so we work from your property rather than a town-wide figure. Even so, the price range tells us the local stock is mixed, and mixed stock often means mixed insulation standards behind the walls.
Sales activity gives another clue. Brighton and Hove saw 2,918 houses and flats sold in 2023, down from 4,339 the year before, which means many buyers and sellers are examining repair costs with more care than before. Where flats fell by 6.0% in the year to March 2026 while terraced homes stayed around the same, the thermal reasons can sit behind plasterboard, at roof junctions or around older window frames. A flat can look tidy and still leak heat at the reveal, while a larger house may hide gaps at an extension joint. Our surveyors use the infrared camera to show those differences clearly.
Brighton and Hove also benefits from thermal analysis because the same pound spent on repair can have a bigger effect than guesswork spending. If a room keeps feeling cold in March 2026, the cause may be a missing loft layer, a blocked cavity or a persistent draught at the floor line. We often find that owners have already tried surface fixes, such as heavier curtains or extra heaters, before seeing the real thermal picture. A report lets you target the root cause, not just the symptom.
A thermal report turns vague energy loss into a visual priority list. In many homes, around 25% of heat escapes through the roof, 35% through walls and 15% through windows, so a loft defect or an unfilled wall cavity usually appears far earlier than a small cosmetic crack. Our surveyors mark the exact spots, from cold bridges at lintels to missing insulation at eaves. If a wall patch is colder than the surrounding area, we can show whether it is a draught path, a thermal bridge or moisture ingress.
That matters in Brighton and Hove, where a £404,000 average home price in March 2026 justifies targeted upgrades rather than blanket replacement. The report helps rank works by impact, so loft insulation, draught sealing and glazing repairs can be weighed against bigger jobs such as wall insulation. A clear thermal image often stops unnecessary spend. It also gives a practical route to better comfort before winter arrives.
Choose the property details and tell us what needs checking. We confirm the visit and explain how the heating setup should be left before arrival.
Heating should run for at least 2 hours before the survey, and windows and external doors should stay closed. That helps create the minimum 10C temperature difference needed for clear imaging.
Our surveyors complete external and internal infrared scans. The full visit usually takes 1-2 hours depending on property size and access.
We record cold spots, warm leakage paths and unusual surface readings across walls, roof lines, floors and window reveals. The camera shows where the building envelope is underperforming.
The thermal images are reviewed and annotated after the visit. We discount false readings caused by sun, reflections, wind or recent rain.
You receive a written report with thermal images and recommendations. It shows which issues need action first and which can wait.
Thermal images use a colour scale, so cooler areas usually appear blue while warmer areas move towards red, orange or white. That colour change is not a decoration, it is the temperature pattern across the surface. A cold patch beside a window frame can suggest draughting, while a colder band across a ceiling might point to missing loft insulation. In Brighton and Hove homes sold in March 2026, the same pattern can mean very different things depending on whether the property is a flat at £293,000 or a detached house at £843,000.
False readings can happen, which is why our surveyors never hand over raw images without explanation. Sun on a wall can warm the surface, reflective glass can confuse the camera, and wet masonry can look colder than a dry wall nearby. Windy conditions and a property that has not been heated properly can also blur the picture, especially if the inside and outside temperatures are too close. For best results, we work in the colder months and keep the inside-outside temperature gap high enough for the camera to read clearly.
Our reports annotate each image, label the defect and explain the likely cause in plain language. That might be a missing insulation section, a poorly sealed pipe penetration or a thermal bridge at a structural junction. We also show where the finding is worth immediate action and where monitoring makes more sense. A clear explanation matters just as much as the image, because a homeowner needs to know what to fix and why it matters.
Brighton and Hove has a wide price range in the sold data, and that often maps to a wide range of thermal defects. In flats and maisonettes, which averaged £293,000 in March 2026, we often see draughts at entrance doors, heat loss through window reveals and cold strips at roof junctions or party walls. In terraced homes, which averaged £470,000, the scan may show gaps at loft insulation edges, repeated cold spots at the ceiling line or heat escape around older replacement windows. The defect can be small, but the pattern is usually obvious once the camera has the right contrast.
Larger homes can show different problems. Detached properties averaged £843,000 in March 2026 and semis £539,000, so those buildings may have extensions, altered roofs or patched insulation that leaves a weak point behind a finished surface. Our surveyors often find that one side of a room is warmer than the other because the heat path is broken at a wall junction or service penetration. The sold count also matters here, because 2,918 homes changed hands in 2023, down from 4,339 the year before, so many buyers are asking for extra checks before they commit. Thermal imaging gives that check without opening up the building.
A thermal imaging survey can detect heat loss, missing insulation, cold bridges, draughts, moisture patterns and some electrical hotspots. It can also reveal areas where a room is heating unevenly, which often points to a hidden building defect rather than a surface problem. Our surveyors then explain whether the image suggests urgent repair, monitoring or a follow-up check.
Our thermographic surveys in Brighton and Hove start from £300. The final price depends on property size, access and whether a larger building needs more scanning time. The quote covers the infrared survey and a written report with annotated images.
October to March gives the strongest thermal contrast, so the camera can show defects more clearly. We usually need at least a 10C difference between the inside and outside temperatures. Heating should be on for at least 2 hours before the survey begins.
The survey itself usually takes 1-2 hours, depending on the size of the property and how easy it is to access each area. A compact flat can be quicker, while a larger house with loft access and multiple elevations can take longer. The analysis happens after the visit, when the thermal images are checked and annotated.
Thermal imaging can highlight moisture patterns, colder patches and areas that behave differently from the surrounding wall. That does not replace a moisture meter or a fuller inspection, but it often gives a strong clue about hidden damp or water ingress. If a patch stays colder than expected after heating, we look at the cause in more detail.
Yes, a little preparation helps the camera read correctly. Keep windows and external doors closed, run the heating for at least 2 hours before the visit, and clear access to loft hatches, radiators and external walls where possible. If the building has recently had very strong sun, rain or wind exposure, tell us when you book so we can plan the visit properly.
Yes, especially where the sold data shows a wide gap between flats at £293,000 and detached homes at £843,000 in March 2026. The same price spread often means very different build forms and hidden insulation issues. A thermal survey helps you spot extra repair costs before they become part of the purchase.
From £80
Check the energy rating after insulation or draught-proofing work
Quote
Condition report for standard homes where defects need checking
Quote
Detailed survey for older, larger or altered properties
Quote
Support for buyers planning refurbishment costs
Our thermal imaging surveys in Brighton and Hove start from £300. That covers external and internal infrared scans, image analysis and a written report with annotated findings, so you get a clear record of where heat is being lost. For a home in a market where the average price was £404,000 in March 2026, that level of detail can be worth far more than guesswork repairs. The report is designed to show what is urgent, what can wait and what needs a deeper investigation.
Turnaround depends on the complexity of the property and the time needed to review the images properly, but the survey visit itself usually takes 1-2 hours. We do not rush the inspection, because a cold patch on camera can mean a simple draught, a missing insulation section or a much bigger moisture issue. If the temperature difference between inside and outside is too small, we may recommend another slot rather than hand over weak images. Good contrast makes better decisions.
The best results usually come in October to March, with the heating on for at least 2 hours before we arrive and a minimum 10C difference between indoors and outdoors. Those conditions matter because infrared cameras are reading surface temperature, not guessing at hidden problems. In Brighton and Hove, where homedata.co.uk shows 2,918 sales in 2023 and a 3.3% fall in the average house price by March 2026, owners are watching every repair more closely. A thermal survey gives a precise starting point before money is spent on insulation, glazing or damp work.
Thermographic Survey In London
Thermographic Survey In Plymouth
Thermographic Survey In Liverpool
Thermographic Survey In Glasgow
Thermographic Survey In Sheffield
Thermographic Survey In Edinburgh
Thermographic Survey In Coventry
Thermographic Survey In Bradford
Thermographic Survey In Manchester
Thermographic Survey In Birmingham
Thermographic Survey In Bristol
Thermographic Survey In Oxford
Thermographic Survey In Leicester
Thermographic Survey In Newcastle
Thermographic Survey In Leeds
Thermographic Survey In Southampton
Thermographic Survey In Cardiff
Thermographic Survey In Nottingham
Thermographic Survey In Norwich
Thermographic Survey In Brighton
Thermographic Survey In Derby
Thermographic Survey In Portsmouth
Thermographic Survey In Northampton
Thermographic Survey In Milton Keynes
Thermographic Survey In Bournemouth
Thermographic Survey In Bolton
Thermographic Survey In Swansea
Thermographic Survey In Swindon
Thermographic Survey In Peterborough
Thermographic Survey In Wolverhampton
Infrared thermal imaging to detect heat loss and hidden defects
Get A Quote & BookMost surveyors take 1-2 days to quote.
We'll price your survey in seconds.
Most surveyors take 1-2 days to quote.
We'll price your survey in seconds.
Homemove is a trading name of HM Haus Group Ltd (Company No. 13873779, registered in England & Wales). Homemove Mortgages Ltd (Company No. 15947693) is an Appointed Representative of TMG Direct Limited, trading as TMG Mortgage Network, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 786245). Homemove Mortgages Ltd is entered on the FCA Register as an Appointed Representative (FRN 1022429). You can check registrations at NewRegister or by calling 0800 111 6768.
We use cookies to show you personalised content and improve your experience of our website. Find out more in our Privacy policy and Cookie policy.
