Essex · London and the South East
Thermal imaging roof survey in Harlow, Essex
Thermal imaging to find moisture and heat loss patterns in a roof across Harlow, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Damp patches with no obvious cause
- Areas losing heat at the eaves and junctions
- Cold spots on ceilings under the roof
Thermal roof survey in Harlow: what you get
On a flat roof, wet insulation holds heat longer than dry insulation. So a wet patch can show as a warmer or cooler area on the camera. This can give an idea of how far water has travelled beneath the membrane, something you cannot usually tell from the surface. Moisture readings are then used to check what the camera suggests. Typical surveys look at wet areas near outlets and upstands and cold spots on ceilings under the roof, on commercial roofs, ceilings below the roof and insulated roof spaces.
For a town like Harlow, every drone flight starts with a check of the Drone Safety Map, which shows restriction zones around airports and prisons. We fly a sub-250g drone and hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. Neighbours’ privacy is part of planning every flight. In the open category, flights stay under 120 m (400 ft) with the drone in sight.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Harlow (CM17, CM20, CM18, CM19)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Useful tips for Harlow property owners
Getting the most from a thermal roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Keep outlets and gutters clear to stop water sitting
- Ask us about the forecast if rain is expected
- Use the report as a baseline for later checks
- Note where damp appears and after what weather
Premium Surveys include an in-person consultation, so you can go through the images with us. A follow-up 12 months later is included as well.
Consider a repeat survey after major work on the roof, when the conditions are suitable.
How it works
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take about 1–2 hours at a house, including the thermal images, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial roof. A visit in Harlow runs most smoothly with the loft hatch clear, side gates open and a parking spot in mind. Someone needs to let us in, so let us know who that will be.
- We start with the roof, its history and any signs of damp or heat loss.
- We check the conditions and note how they may affect the images.
- We inspect the roof and take thermal images during the same visit.
- Moisture readings are used to check what the camera shows.
- You get the report the same day, with an in-person consultation to follow.
How to prepare
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Booking a survey
We confirm the price for the job before booking, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £400, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
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Common questions in Harlow
Is Harlow in the area you cover?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Harlow as anywhere else.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Harlow?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Will the survey show heat loss through my roof?
Gaps and thin areas of insulation can show up on the camera. The difference is clearest when the building is heated and it is colder outside. Where we can reach the loft safely, we check there too.
Will you walk on the roof?
Not unless it is safe. Safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where applicable cover most of what’s needed, and the report notes anything we couldn’t see.
Will I get photos?
Yes, every report has them. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, which makes the report easy to follow.
How quickly is the report sent?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. All of them come by email, ready to forward.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
What we cannot see
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- The condition of timbers we cannot see
- Readings unaffected by sun, shade or reflections
- Proving moisture from the images alone
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will suggest the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Insulated roof spaces
- Pitched roof slopes
- Ceilings below the roof
- Loft conversions
- Flat roofs
- Commercial roofs
Why it is worth a survey now in Harlow
A poorly insulated roof loses heat year after year. Thermal images can show where insulation is missing or has slipped, so improvements can go where they’re needed. On homes in Harlow, the joint between an extension and the house is where a slow leak tends to start. Left for a few seasons, it can spoil plaster, skirting and flooring inside.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, which starts from £400, including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why us?
- Every finding written up with photos
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Surveys seven days a week
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
Other services in Harlow
Checking the roof from the ground
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That’s where a survey comes in.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
When to book a survey in Harlow
On big commercial and residential flat roofs, thermal imaging helps owners plan. Patterns can point to wet areas and show which parts look sound, so we know where to take moisture readings.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Patches of heat loss across the roof
- Possible trapped moisture under a flat roof covering
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
- Leaks far from where the stain appears
If you look after a building such as Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and Nursery, big roofs are where photos from the air and thermal images show the most at once.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether VAT is added on top
- What the survey will not cover
- Will the report include photos?
Drones, thermal imaging and Harlow roofs
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up photos from the air and thermal images help. Harlow is one of the post-war new towns. Homes from the post-war decades are common in the new towns, many with low-pitched roofs in concrete tiles and flat-roofed garages or porches. Low pitches and flat-roofed additions are hard to see from ground level, so aerial and thermal views add detail.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near St Andrew's Methodist Church, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof frequently shows up clearly on a thermal image.
Harlow is about 21 miles north-east of London, in Essex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Harlow can all book thermal roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Harlow is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
We work across the CM17, CM20, CM18 and CM19 postcode area for thermal roof surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on London Road, Soper Square and Square Street. Being close to the A414 and A1019, Harlow is easy for us to reach for thermal roof surveys. Other places close to Harlow include Mark Hall South (1 mile north-east), Netteswell (1 mile west), Latton (1 mile south-east), Mark Hall North (1 mile north) and Bush Fair (1 mile south). We also work in nearby towns such as Brentwood (13 miles south-east), Loughton (9 miles south), Waltham Abbey (7 miles south-west), Great Dunmow (13 miles north-east), Epping (5 miles south) and Stansted Mountfitchet (10 miles north). Harlow is one of the larger places we cover in Essex.
Landmarks near Harlow
We work in homes and buildings around Harlow Marsh, Purple Emperor pub and BMAT STEM Academy, among other places. The nearest railway station is Harlow Town station, roughly 1.2 miles north-west. A little further out are Princess Alexandra Hospital (1.2 miles west) and Mark Hall Cycle Museum (0.7 miles north-east). Open spaces near Harlow include Hunsdon Mead.