Thermal imaging roof survey

How it works

1. You tell us about the roof and what you’d like to find out.
2. We plan the visit around the conditions thermal imaging needs: a dry roof surface and little wind.
3. We take thermal images of the roof and, where useful, the ceilings below.
4. We check anything the images show with moisture readings and a visual inspection.
5. Your report includes the thermal images, what we think they show and our recommendations.

When it works best

Thermal imaging on roofs works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof surface and little wind. In poor conditions the patterns can be weak or misleading, so we’ll tell you if the timing needs to change.

What it can’t do

A thermal image shows temperature, not water. Patterns can also come from changes in materials or construction, which is why we always check them with moisture readings before drawing conclusions.

Why it’s worth doing now

Trapped moisture under a flat roof covering or gaps in insulation rarely show from the surface. Left alone, wet insulation stops working and water can spread across the deck. Thermal imaging, checked with moisture readings, helps show where to look before the damage spreads.

What our survey covers and doesn’t

We inspect what can be seen safely: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from inside the roof space where there is safe access, from the roof where it is safe, and by drone where applicable. Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey, not a structural engineer’s report and not an asbestos survey, and we can’t see under coverings or inside walls without opening them up. Where a roof may contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag it so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before it is disturbed.

What our survey covers

What affects the price

• The size and height of the roof
• How many roofs there are, including extensions, dormers and garages
• How complex the roof is: valleys, parapets, chimneys and different levels
• Access to the roof space and the roof
• The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
• Whether drone inspection or thermal imaging is needed
• For commercial roofs and blocks, the size of the roof and the number of buildings

What to check before booking a roof surveyor

• What the report includes, and when you’ll get it
• Whether photographs are included
• How the roof will be inspected: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
• Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
• For drone work, a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
• What the survey doesn’t cover
• The price, including VAT

After the survey

Use the thermal images and report to target further investigation or repairs where the readings point. If the conditions on the day limited what the camera could show, we’ll say so in the report.