Thermographic Survey in Scunthorpe

Scunthorpe has a wide spread of housing ages, and the construction methods matter. Old Crosby Conservation Area, designated in 1976, includes late 18th and early 19th-century brick cottages with clay pantile roofs and timber double-hung sash windows, plus later semi-detached and terraced houses. Those buildings usually lose heat through solid walls, roof voids and original window frames, so infrared imaging quickly shows where warmth is escaping. New Frodingham, designated in 1986, is a late 19th-century industrial settlement of uniform artisan terraced dwellings, which often means repeated junctions, repeated cold bridges and repeated draught paths.

Post-war housing adds another pattern. Langland House, now Trent View House, was built in 1963, while the Crosby Road housing scheme, including Sutton House, Princess House and Crosby House, followed in 1966 with concrete construction and new building techniques. Concrete blocks, panel joints and slab edges behave differently from brick terraces, so a standard visual survey can miss the places where heat slips out. Our thermal imaging specialists read those temperature differences in a few minutes, then explain which parts need loft top-ups, sealing work or closer inspection.

New homes still benefit from a thermal survey, especially where the fabric is modern but the finishing details are not perfect. Phoenix Meadows, close to the centre of Scunthorpe off the A1077 and three miles from the M181, shows how new-build homes can sit beside older streets and still need careful checking around junctions, roof penetrations and window reveals. Lincolnshire Lakes is planned for up to 6,000 new homes across six sustainable villages, with 599 homes proposed in the first phase, which means energy performance will remain a live issue across the town for years. Thermal imaging gives buyers, owners and landlords a clear picture before small gaps turn into expensive heat loss.

• Old Crosby cottages
• New Frodingham terraces
• 1963 and 1966 concrete housing schemes
• Phoenix Meadows and other new builds

Thermal images use colour to show temperature differences. Cooler areas usually appear blue or purple, while warmer areas move towards orange, red or white, depending on the camera palette. A cold patch on a wall does not always mean the wall is defective, but it can indicate missing insulation, a draught path or moisture that has changed the surface temperature.

Context matters. A wall warmed by afternoon sun can still appear hot for a while, and reflective surfaces can trick the camera into showing a false reading. Our surveyors account for solar gain, metallic finishes, rainwater staining and the way different materials store heat, then explain which parts of the image are genuine and which parts need caution. That is why every finding is annotated, labelled and described in plain English rather than left as a raw image.

The best reports give a homeowner a clear story. One edge of a roof might show heat escaping at the eaves, another part may point to a missing insulation strip, and a third image may reveal condensation forming around a cold bridge near a concrete junction. Once those patterns are joined together, the problem becomes much easier to fix. The report becomes a practical route to better comfort, lower waste and a stronger understanding of the building fabric.

Our thermal imaging surveys start from £300, which gives homeowners a clear first look at heat loss without opening up the building fabric. The visit includes external and internal scans, image review and a report that explains each finding in plain English. For a house in Old Crosby, a terrace in New Frodingham or a newer home near the A1077, that often delivers the evidence needed to choose the right repair first.

Best results come from cold, still conditions, which is why October to March is the strongest survey window. We ask for the heating to be on for at least 2 hours before the visit, and we look for a temperature difference of 10C or more between inside and outside. Once the images are analysed, the report shows where the heat is escaping, where damp may be forming and which upgrades are likely to make the biggest difference to comfort and running costs.