Keep the Heat

For the third year in a row, the Suffolk Climate Action Team is running Keep the Heat, a project which enables community groups and parish/town councils across Suffolk to use thermal imaging cameras and equipment for free to carry out heat loss surveys for residents in their local community.

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A thermal image is a photo of a house that shows you the hot and cold spots of the building. It can be used to detect areas where heat might be ‘leaking out’.

We run a scheme called Keep the Heat where community groups can borrow one of our thermal cameras for free and you can request an image of your home so that you can take measures to keep your heat inside, warming your home, and not escaping into the cold.

Since winter 2022, more than 1,660 homes have been surveyed over 355 weeks. Could yours be next?

Why is keeping heat in your home important?

We want to help you identify ways to make your home more energy efficient so it stays warmer for longer, you save money and less carbon is emitted.

Living in a cold and possibly damp home can be harmful for our health, causing a range of conditions from higher blood pressure and more colds, to breathing problems and pneumonia.

Additionally, our homes in Suffolk account for around a fifth of the county’s carbon emissions. There needs to be an urgent increase in energy efficiency improvements in our homes, if we are going to hit the carbon reduction targets necessary to reduce the impact of climate change.

What is the Keep the Heat project?

Between November and April (when the weather is cold enough), the teams of volunteers use the cameras to scan homes from the roadside to identify potential areas of heat loss. This can show where additional insulation is needed (wall, lofts, draught proofing etc.), and help you identify ways to save money on your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint.

Excitingly, last year’s project saw 50% of residents improve the energy efficiency of their home as a result of Keep the Heat.