Keep the Heat

What is Keep the Heat?

Keep the Heat is a scheme we run where community groups and parish/town councils can borrow one of our thermal cameras for free to take thermal images of buildings. A thermal image is a photo of a house that shows you where heat might be ‘leaking out’ of a building. You can request images of your home to find out where the heat is ‘leaking’ out of it and guidance on how you can fix it, so that your home stays warmer and you can reduce your energy bills.

news

For groups and town/parish councils already taking part, go to the Training and Resources page

Training and Resources Page

Last year 58 different groups took part (29 parish councils, 24 community groups and 5 town councils) who surveyed 550 properties!

That adds to the totals for the project so far, looking back to the very beginning when Suffolk’s community thermal imaging project was piloted in 2022:

1818 homes surveyed
512 weeks of thermal imaging
153 groups (some groups took part in more than one year)

Book your loan of the thermal imaging cameras!

Want to see help residents stay warmer, reduce their energy bills, and carbon emission this winter? If you are part of a community group or parish/town council you can borrow 2 thermal imaging for up to four weeks (with the option to book again later in the season).

The cameras are stored with volunteer hosts across the county, making it easy to collect and return them.

Book your loan here

Not sure how it works? Here are the answers to common questions about Keep the Heat. If you still aren’t sure about taking part, please send your question to jess.miller@suffolk.gov.uk

Frequently Asked Questions: 

What kind of buildings can be surveyed with a thermal imaging camera?
- Any type of home or community building 
Who is responsible for the camera when it’s in our Community Group or Parish/Town Council’s possession?
- The person who has signed the agreement form on behalf of the Community Group or Parish/Town Council. We understand that accidents happen and just ask that you take good care of the cameras when in use.  
 How long is the battery life on the thermal imaging camera?
- There will be two thermal cameras in your loan. The Flir One Pro takes 40 mins to charge and will last around 1 hr. Your phone battery will also be reduced while in use so please use the provided power bank.  
- The Flir One Edge (Pro) lasts around 2.5 hours and takes 1-1.5 hours to charge.  
Do we need a smartphone?
- Yes, at least one of the volunteers will need a smartphone or tablet as this is what you connect to the thermal imaging camera. Your device will need at least iOS 17 or Android 13 so that you can install the FLIR ONE app. We recommend using both thermal cameras at the same time to cover more homes, so having 2 devices is ideal.
Is there training available?
- Yes, we have lots of resources available to help you run your project including a recording of our training session which you can see on our resources page.
Does there need to be phone signal to use the thermal cameras? 
- No, when you are doing the thermal imaging surveys your phone doesn’t need to have signal, it just won’t be able to record the location of each thermal image.  
Can rented properties be surveyed?
- Yes, under Government legislation, domestic private rented properties are required to meet a minimum energy efficiency standard before they can be rented to tenants. This is defined as an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of E or above.   
- There may be some measures renters can undertake themselves (double glazing film, draughts excluders etc see our Next Page for more advice) but there is also help for landlords if the property has a low energy rating.

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. This project is just one way we’re helping to deliver the Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan and is funded by Suffolk’s Public Sector Leaders.