Detecting sources of heat loss in residential buildings from infrared imaging

Abstract

Infrared image analysis was conducted to determine the most common sources of heat loss during the winter in residential buildings. 135 houses in the greater Boston and Cambridge area were photographed, stitched, and tallied to characterize nine major causes of heat loss: window frames, window surfaces, window cracks, basements, door cracks, corners, chimneys, roof ridges, and soffits. The nine causes of heat loss were mapped to the three modes of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. It was found that heat losses through window surfaces, window cracks, chimneys, and soffits dominated as common sources of energy leakage, each represented in more than 70% of the houses analyzed. Opportunities for future work include more thorough examination of losses through ducts and walls, as well as developing methods for improvements.