Thermographic Survey in Cardiff

Cardiff's terraced housing stock, representing 44.5% of annual sales across the city, presents a distinct thermal challenge. Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Cathays, Roath, Splott, and Grangetown were built with solid red brick walls typically 215mm thick, providing no cavity for modern insulation. Heat loss through these walls can account for 35% of total energy expenditure, yet the exact locations of thermal bridges and cold spots are invisible without infrared imaging. We map these in detail during every Cardiff survey, giving buyers and homeowners a precise remediation target rather than a blanket recommendation.

Solid wall construction also creates ideal conditions for moisture penetration. Red brick absorbs rainfall at the outer face and allows water to migrate inward through the wall mass, particularly where mortar joints have opened due to thermal movement over the decades. Once moisture reaches the inner surface, it drives mould growth, plaster failure, and timber rot in floor joists and window frames. Infrared cameras detect the temperature differential that moisture creates inside a wall - typically 1 to 3 degrees cooler than surrounding dry masonry - identifying exactly which wall sections are affected before the buyer commits to exchange.

Cardiff's conservation areas add complexity to the thermal improvement options available to owners. Pontcanna, Riverside, and Roath Park are among the designated conservation areas where external wall insulation typically requires planning consent and may be refused on heritage grounds. Internal wall insulation is possible but reduces room dimensions and can introduce new moisture risk if installed incorrectly. Our survey identifies which elevations lose the most heat, allowing owners to prioritise their improvement budget and apply for consent with specific thermal evidence rather than generic estimates.

Many Cardiff terraces retain original Victorian features including single-glazed sash windows, uninsulated suspended timber ground floors, and loft spaces with minimal or zero insulation. Each creates thermal bridges and cold spots visible on infrared images. Suspended timber floors are a particularly common finding - cold air from the underfloor void migrates upward between floorboards and reduces room temperature significantly during colder months. Annotated thermal images of these cold floors provide buyers with documented evidence for price negotiation or as a baseline record for future improvement works.

The Triassic Mercia Mudstone that underlies much of Cardiff creates a moderate to high shrink-swell risk across the city, particularly where mature trees are present and where seasonal rainfall variations are significant. Clay shrinks in dry summers and expands during wet winters, driving settlement cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings that become pathways for cold air and moisture infiltration. These cracks register as cold lines on thermal images, flagging locations that merit further investigation by a structural engineer before purchase proceeds.

Flood risk from the River Taff and River Ely affects significant areas of Cardiff, with Grangetown, Canton, and Riverside among the neighbourhoods flagged in Natural Resources Wales flood maps as being at elevated risk. Cardiff Bay faces additional tidal flooding risk during storm surges, and the area's alluvial clay deposits create high water table conditions year-round. Moisture from flood events can persist inside wall cavities and under floor screeds for months after the visible floodwater recedes. Infrared scanning reveals this residual moisture regardless of how long ago a flood event occurred.

Surface water flooding is a growing risk across Cardiff's urban areas as rainfall intensity increases. Natural Resources Wales and Cardiff Council have documented multiple surface water flooding events, particularly in areas with older combined sewer systems that become overwhelmed during heavy rain. When surface water pools against external walls or enters through low-level openings, the resulting moisture can linger within the wall construction for extended periods. Our Cardiff thermographic surveys check every ground-floor wall perimeter for moisture intrusion signatures that indicate past or ongoing water ingress from surface flooding.

Pipe leaks beneath floor screeds and within wall chases are another finding our Cardiff surveys regularly identify. Older Cardiff terraces retain original cast iron and lead pipework that corrodes over time, and the moisture released by a slow leak under a solid screed floor can saturate the substrate across a wide area without any visible sign at surface level. The heat differential created by running water registers clearly in infrared, directing targeted investigation and avoiding the cost and disruption of excavating large floor areas to locate a leak that a thermal camera can pinpoint in minutes.

Cardiff's new build market is concentrated in the northern and eastern suburbs. St Edeyrn's Village at Old St Mellons (CF3 2TE), developed by Persimmon Homes and Charles Church, offers 2 to 5 bedroom homes and represents one of the largest ongoing residential developments within the Cardiff boundary. Plas Ty Draw in Lisvane (CF14 0SH) by Taylor Wimpey delivers 3, 4, and 5 bedroom homes in one of Cardiff's most sought-after northern suburbs. Parc Y Coed at Radyr (CF15 8GP) by Charles Church also offers 3 to 5 bedroom properties within the city boundary, with Plumplot data recording 38 new build sales in the CF14 postcode sector during 2025.

New builds across these Cardiff developments present a distinct thermographic opportunity. Builder defects including missing or displaced insulation, poorly sealed window reveals, and incomplete air barriers do not become apparent until the property is occupied and heated. Our post-completion thermographic surveys identify these defects during the two-year defect liability period, when developers remain contractually bound to remedy problems at no cost to the buyer. Waiting until after this window closes means the buyer absorbs the full remediation cost themselves.

Common new build findings in Cardiff surveys include insulation gaps at party walls between terrace units, cold air infiltration at the junction of cavity wall and roof structure, and underfloor heating circuits with inconsistent heat output across rooms. These defects are practically invisible without infrared imaging but have a direct impact on running costs and comfort from day one of occupation. Our reports specify each finding by room and location in a format that developers can act on directly, streamlining the remediation process and reducing back-and-forth with the developer's customer care team.

Our Cardiff thermographic surveys use FLIR cameras capable of detecting surface temperature differences of 0.1 degrees Celsius. The inspection covers all external wall elevations accessible from within the property, internal walls adjacent to unheated spaces such as garages and loft areas, ground floors above both suspended voids and solid screeds, ceiling surfaces, and roof hatch areas. We also inspect the consumer unit and accessible wiring for electrical overheating - a common finding in Cardiff's large stock of Victorian and Edwardian properties where original wiring has not been updated through subsequent decades of ownership.

For properties with wet underfloor heating systems, we produce a full circuit heat map of the floor surface, confirming that all pipe runs are functioning and identifying air locks, partial blockages, or screeding issues that reduce heat output in specific zones. For Cardiff terraces with suspended timber ground floors, the inspection identifies cold air infiltration patterns and moisture accumulation in the underfloor void - both of which contribute to poor energy performance and accelerate timber deterioration in the floor structure.

Pricing for our Cardiff thermographic survey starts from £495 for all property types. The property must be heated to normal living temperature for at least 24 hours before the inspection, and the internal-external temperature differential must exceed 10 degrees Celsius for reliable results. Cardiff's maritime climate means this condition is met reliably from October through to April across all property types, with our inspectors available seven days a week throughout the city from Canton to Llanishen, Splott to Pontprennau.