Households across the UK have the chance to get their hands on a £200 gadget for free that could help them slash their energy bills by up to £1,000.
Thermal imaging cameras, which normally retail for around £200, are being distributed by numerous local councils at no cost to residents.
How the gadget finds costly heat leaks
Research from Kingfisher – the parent company of B&Q and Screwfix – and the economics consultancy Cebr has revealed a startling fact. Energy-inefficient homes are costing families an average of £299 per year in extra energy bills. This adds up to a massive £3.8 billion in unnecessary costs nationwide every year.
Greg Collier-Jones, from the energy efficiency charity Severn Wye, explained how the device works. He compared it to a laser thermometer, saying, "Imagine thousands of those bundled together, each pointing at a spot and feeding data back to a camera lens. The camera processes all that data as pixels on a screen."
Where you can borrow one for free
Several councils are already running schemes to help residents. These include Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire, Kensington and Chelsea, and Portsmouth, all of which provide complimentary access to the thermal cameras.
Major energy supplier Octopus Energy also has 200 cameras that it loans out each winter. However, demand has been so high that applications for the winter of 2025 are already closed.
Greg strongly advises against buying a camera. "You're much better off paying for someone to do a walk-around survey," he said. "[Thermal imaging cameras] are a brilliant way to get an initial idea of where heat might be escaping. You just point them at a wall or window and you'll often get an instant clue."
Understanding the results
While the cameras are powerful tools, interpreting the data on the screen "can be tricky," Greg cautioned. He gave examples, noting that a black and a white surface at the same temperature can show different readings, and pointing the camera at glass will often just show a reflection from the room.
He offered a simple tip for confirmation: "If the camera shows a cold patch and you can feel a draught with your finger, that's confirmation you've got a leak."
And it's not all serious business. Greg added a lighter note, saying, "It's really fun to point the camera at your cat to see how 'energy efficient' they are. We've got a few cameras in the office, and honestly, most of the pictures are just people's pets!"
