Infrared thermal imaging to detect heat loss and hidden defects
Our thermal imaging specialists carry out detailed infrared surveys across Hove, from Brunswick Town and Cliftonville to the streets around Hove Station. Infrared cameras show surface temperature patterns that the eye cannot see, so we can trace heat loss, draught paths, missing insulation and cold bridging in one visit. The survey is non-invasive and non-destructive, which suits occupied homes, flats and listed buildings. We annotate each thermal image so the findings are clear when you read the report.
Hove's housing stock gives us plenty to inspect. Homes in conservation areas such as Brunswick Town, Old Hove and The Avenues often have older fabric, later alterations and patchy retrofit work, while newer schemes near Kingsway or the Sackville Trading Estate can still hide thermal bridges around balconies and service penetrations. homedata.co.uk records for Brighton and Hove show an overall average house price of £404,000 in March 2026, with flats and maisonettes at £293,000 and detached homes at £843,000, so wasted heat quickly becomes an expensive problem. A thermal survey helps direct spending towards the parts of the building that are actually losing energy.
£404,000
Overall Average House Price
£293,000
Flats and Maisonettes
£470,000
Terraced Homes
-3.3%
Annual Price Change
2,918
Homes Sold in 2023
Using listing data from home.co.uk and property data from homedata.co.uk
Thermal imaging spots the hidden patterns behind a cold wall or a damp corner. Our surveyors use infrared cameras to pick up surface temperature variations to 0.1C accuracy, then compare the readings across walls, lofts, floors, windows and rooflines. That lets us see missing cavity wall insulation, air leakage around doors and windows, cold bridging at junctions, and heat escaping through poor loft insulation. If a radiator or underfloor heating loop is not performing as expected, the thermal image can show that too.
In Hove flats near Hove Station, the same scan can reveal a different set of issues. Condensation around shower rooms, patchy sealant at window reveals, or a hot electrical connection behind a socket often leaves a clear signature once the heating has been running. Because the method is non-invasive, we do not need to lift floors or open walls. That means the survey works just as well in an occupied maisonette on Brunswick Place as it does in a modern apartment on Kingsway.
Hove has 34 conservation areas across Brighton and Hove, covering over 18% of the urban area, and that tells us a lot about the age and form of the housing stock. Streets such as Adelaide Crescent, Brunswick Square and the area around Hove Library contain older buildings where insulation is often behind later linings or missing altogether. Many of these homes were not built to modern thermal standards, so heat can escape through solid walls, roof voids and original windows. A thermal survey helps separate original fabric from hidden energy loss.
Older terrace rows and converted villas around Cliftonville, The Drive and Denmark Villas often have mixed construction. One room may have been insulated during a loft conversion, while an adjoining bay or party wall still leaks heat at the junction. We also see retrofit work that looks complete on paper but leaves gaps behind plasterboard or around downlighters, which the infrared scan exposes in minutes. That matters in a city where homedata.co.uk records show Brighton and Hove sales fell to 2,918 in 2023 from 4,339 the year before, with the average market value still at £404,000 in March 2026.
Coastal exposure adds another layer. The defended coastline between Brighton Marina and the River Adur, which includes Hove, faces surface water, groundwater and sea flooding, and the sea wall and shingle works near the King Alfred Leisure Centre and Second Avenue are there for a reason. Wind-driven rain can push moisture into cracks, failed pointing or tired window seals, then the thermal camera picks up the colder, wetter zones. We use that information to distinguish simple heat loss from damp ingress, so you know whether the fix is insulation, repointing or better sealing.
Thermal images do more than point at cold spots. They help us quantify where the energy is going, which makes the report useful when you are planning insulation or heating upgrades. In many homes, up to 25% of heat is lost through the roof, around 35% through the walls and about 15% through the windows, so a single scan can show where the biggest gains sit. If your loft hatch, eaves or window reveals glow cold on the image, we know where to start.
That is especially helpful around the new schemes at One Hove Park, Aurum Hove Seafront and Argentum on Kingsway. Modern flats can still suffer thermal bypass at balcony edges, slab junctions and service penetrations, even when the building looks complete from outside. Our thermal imaging specialists link each finding to a practical upgrade, from loft top-ups and draught proofing to seal repairs and insulation fixes. The aim is simple: reduce waste first, then tackle the bigger works if they are needed.
Request a quote and tell us the property type, whether it is a flat in Brunswick Town or a house near Hove Park, and we match the visit to the building.
Keep the heating on for at least 2 hours before we arrive so the fabric has a stable temperature.
October to March gives the best contrast, and we aim for a minimum 10C difference between inside and outside.
We carry out external and internal infrared scans, checking roofs, walls, floors, windows, ceilings and service runs.
Our surveyors annotate each frame, rule out reflections or solar gain, and explain what each cold patch means.
You get a clear report with thermal images, findings and practical recommendations.
Thermal images use a colour scale, usually blue through green to red or white. Cold areas show up as darker blues, while warmer surfaces move towards red and white, but the pattern matters more than the colour alone. A cold stripe above a window on Adelaide Crescent may point to a failed lintel or a thermal bridge, while an isolated dark patch could be a draught, a damp patch or even a shadow from the frame. We read the whole picture before we decide what it means.
False readings are part of the job. A south-facing wall on Kingsway can warm up from solar gain, shiny surfaces can reflect heat from nearby buildings, and a wet render patch can look colder because moisture changes the surface temperature. That is why our surveyors do not just hand over raw images. We explain the conditions at the time, mark out the likely cause and show where a different test may be needed.
The final report is written so it can be used straight away. It shows the image, the location, the temperature difference and the recommended action, whether that is extra loft insulation, resealing a window, or checking a patch of damp behind a fitted wardrobe in a converted flat on The Drive. If a pattern suggests a larger structural issue, we say so clearly and point you towards the next step. You get facts, not guesswork.
Around Brunswick Town and Cliftonville, the most common thermal losses tend to sit at windows, roof edges and solid wall junctions. Older terraces and listed buildings often keep their original window patterns, so single glazing or tired secondary glazing can show up as bright cold bands on the image. In roofs, we often see patchy loft insulation around pipes, tank boards and conversions where the insulation layer was cut and not reinstated. Those gaps are easy to miss from inside the room.
Elsewhere, newer apartments at One Hove Park or Kings House can show cold bridging at balcony slabs, corners and structural columns. The same applies to the wider Sackville Trading Estate regeneration around Hove Station, where airtightness depends on careful sealing around services and junctions. In coastal parts of Hove, failed pointing or ageing sealant can let moisture in after heavy weather, and the thermal camera will usually show the colder, wetter route. That gives us a clear lead before you spend on repairs.
A thermal imaging survey can detect heat loss, missing insulation, air leakage, cold bridging and signs of moisture ingress. It can also highlight electrical hotspots and faults in underfloor heating loops. In Hove homes, that often means cold patches around sash windows, roof lines and altered extensions. The scan is non-invasive, so we can inspect the fabric without opening it up.
Our thermal imaging surveys start from £300. The final price depends on property size, access and how much of the building envelope we need to scan. A compact flat near Hove Station is usually quicker than a larger house off The Drive. We set the cost before the visit, so you know what is included.
October to March gives the best results because there is usually a stronger temperature difference between inside and outside. We aim for at least a 10C difference, which helps the camera pick out heat loss more clearly. Heating should be on for at least 2 hours before the survey. Overcast weather is often better than bright sun on Kingsway or other south-facing elevations.
Most surveys take 1-2 hours, depending on the size and layout of the property. A flat in Brunswick Town may be quicker, while a larger detached house or a multi-level conversion can take longer. The report comes after we have reviewed and annotated the images. That extra analysis time is where the value sits.
Yes, thermal imaging can help identify damp areas and moisture ingress because wet materials often show up colder than surrounding fabric. It will not replace a damp meter or a full defect investigation, but it gives us a strong starting point. In a coastal place like Hove, that matters after wind-driven rain or where old pointing has failed. We then explain whether the cold patch looks like moisture, airflow or both.
Keep the heating on for at least 2 hours before we arrive, and keep windows and external doors shut unless we ask otherwise. If you have done recent insulation or roofing work, tell us before the appointment so we can look at those areas closely. Clear access to loft hatches, service cupboards and windows helps us work faster. Small steps like these make the images easier to read.
Yes, it is especially useful in listed buildings and homes within conservation areas such as Brunswick Town and Cliftonville. Because the method is non-invasive, it suits sensitive fabric where you want to avoid unnecessary disturbance. We can spot heat loss without lifting floors or opening walls. If we see something that needs a structural follow-up, we say so in the report.
Yes, new-build flats can still benefit from thermal imaging. Developments near Hove Station, Kingsway or Hove Park can show thermal bridges at balcony edges, slab junctions and service penetrations. A new-looking finish does not always mean the envelope is performing well. We use the scan to check whether the build quality matches the appearance.
Our thermographic surveys start from £300. The price reflects the time on site, the size of the building and how much of the envelope we can safely scan, whether that is a flat near Hove Station or a larger house off The Drive. The visit normally takes 1-2 hours, and the camera records temperature differences on walls, floors, ceilings and windows without opening up the building. That keeps the inspection quick and non-destructive.
The report then pulls the findings into one place. You receive annotated images, plain-English explanations and repair priorities that show where heat is being lost and where moisture or air leakage is likely to be coming from. If the property is a listed building in Brunswick Square or a modern apartment by Kingsway, the recommendations are framed around the fabric you already have. The point is to stop money disappearing through faults that are easy to miss at ground level.
For the clearest results, book between October and March, keep the heating on for at least 2 hours and aim for a minimum 10C difference between inside and outside. Overcast conditions help too, because bright sun can warm masonry and mask losses on south-facing elevations. If you are in Hove, that matters on seafront properties and any home that gets a lot of direct afternoon sun. Good data starts with good conditions.
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Infrared thermal imaging to detect heat loss and hidden defects
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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.
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