Power company captures escaped heat on video

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 587, 23 May 1995, Page 5

Power company captures escaped heat on video

We all know about insulating against heat loss but how do you know if your house is properly insulated or where the best places to work on to improve the situation would be. Now, King Country Energy is offering a free service to customers to help you find out exactly where your heat leaks are. Using an infra-red video camera, Dennis Malloy surveys your house and then shows you the tape and discusses the best ways you can improve its insulation. "One of the major problems for electricity company customer advisers is that often it is hard, or even impossible, to explain to customers how valuable heat can be escaping from their homes or businesses, putting up their power bill," said KCE marketing manager Bruce Clow, "now, seeing is believing." The system, called thermal imaging featured on the 'Quantum' science television programme last year. For best results customer 'cranks up' the heat in the house before Dennis arrives. It doesn't have to be done at night but it has to be dry and its best if it is not a bright sunny day. Rain tends to blur the video, dispersing heat tnn raniHlv Rricrht ciin r-an hf»at nn nartc rvf hrnicp tin

I

by investing in thermal drapes. The video can show where walls are not insulated or where insulation has not been fitted correctly and is not effective, and of course can show up draughts. Marketing manager Bruce Clow said one house they surveyed had a large expanse of heat 'blasting' out from under the front door. It was found that this was caused by not only the gap under the door but by draughts at the other end 6f the house around the back door. Other gaps in the 'blanket' might include un-lagged hot water pipes, overflowing hot water systems, and poorly fitting doors and windows. The camera, an Agema THV 210, cost $41,000 and Turn to Page 6