Thermal Camera Scheme Questions and
Answers.
Since the inception of the
Thermal Camera Imaging Scheme by Walmer Town Council, we have been approached
by other councils to inform them as to how to create their own scheme. The
below question and answer form will allow others to know what it is we did to
create the scheme and how we have continued it since.
Questions and
Answers
Q. What Kind of Thermal Camera
do you use?
A. Walmer Town Council uses a
handheld FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) Camera E4 IR Thermometer type
camera.
Q. What
is the initial unit cost to buy?
A. The
camera cost £1040.40 when it was bought at the end of 2021.
Q. How
long has your scheme been running?
A. The
pilot scheme was initially run in early 2022 with a few dozen people asking for
heat loss surveys, this pilot allowed the council officers to work out how best
to go about the scheme. This would lead to further appointments during the
winters of 2022 through to 2025, appointments begin in the first week of
December and run through to the end of March. Any later and the warmer weather
and longer daylight hours will make it more difficult to get a useful
reading.
Q. How
many staff hours need to be allocated to the scheme?
A. This
depends very much on how the scheme is run, the number of requests received and
number of people that attend the appointments. At the moment the council
officers can do between two and three hours per day, this usually allows for
six to eight visits if walking. Those with vehicles may find it takes less time
to complete more visits.
Q. How
many households have taken up the opportunity in Walmer?
A.
Currently a combined total of around 240 residences have requested an
appointment.
Q. What
is the training cost for staff?
A. The
council officers did not require any training costs, officers learned what was
needed via trial and error.
Q. Are
there certain times of the day when it works best?
A. Yes,
usually the darker hours when it cools down outside, appointments start about
half four in the afternoon as that is around the time of sunset and when it
starts to get chillier.
Q. Are
there certain times of the year when it works best?
A. Yes, we
only offer the service in months between October to March.
Q. How
many staff are required per site visit?
A. For
Walmer council only one person per visit has been needed but it may depend on
the personnel or staff available and the appointments requested.
Q. How
much is annual maintenance on the camera?
A. The FLIR
camera that requires a diagnostic and recalibration once a year; the return and
service of the camera costs about £100.
Q. Did the Town
Council buy its own camera and how did it decide what was best/most cost
effective?
A. The request for
an IR camera came through the Climate Emergency Working Group who looked over
the available cameras and then forwarded this information to the A&E
committee before being confirmed by the full council. The result was the
purchase of a handheld FLIR camera.
Q. Did you obtain
professional training?
A.
The council officers have not received professional
training
Q. Do you train
residents in its use - how well does this work?
A.
It was decided by the council not to begin training of residents with the
camera, currently only members of the council and the council officers are
authorised to use the camera
Q. Do you charge
residents - if so, how much?
A.
There is no charge for residents, this is a free service
Q. How effective
have you found the process?
A.
It seems to have been useful for those who want to know how much heat is being
lost, it also has allowed the council to check on its own
holdings
Q. How much of a
role has the Town Council needed to play and how has the process been organised
e.g. publicity, coordination?
A.
The first year had a press release, the second a full Walmer-wide leaflet drop
and since then limited leaflet drops in areas that it was decided was needed.
This was further expanded by the use of posts on the council website and social
media
Q. Can
non-residents of Walmer take advantage of this service?
A.
No we only offer the service to the residents of Walmer, contact your local
Town/Parish Council to see if there are any services available to
you