Published 2025-10-15

When the cold weather comes, buildings are put to the test. Uneven heating in apartments, cold radiators and draughts from leaky windows are common problems that both affect comfort and drive up energy costs. With the right temperature measurement in your buildings, you can quickly pinpoint causes and take action – for efficient energy optimization and a comfortable indoor climate all year round.

IR thermometers and thermal imaging cameras are reliable tools for operations and building technicians who want to optimize heating, reduce energy losses and prevent indoor temperature complaints from tenants.

Accurate temperature measurement – the basis for effective troubleshooting

Identifying the causes of temperature problems in a building and taking appropriate action requires accurate measurements in several locations. The air temperature should be measured within the occupied zone – the area where people normally stay. This zone is defined by two horizontal planes, 0.1 meters and 2.0 meters above the floor, and by vertical planes located 0.6 meters inside the external walls. In front of windows and external doors, the distance is 1.0 meter.

Read more about measuring points in the occupied zone

Domestic water should also be checked to ensure that both cold and hot water are at the correct temperature according to current legal requirements. Water temperatures that are too low can pose health risks, such as the growth of legionella bacteria. According to the Public Health Agency of Sweden, the temperature of domestic hot water should not fall below 50°C in the pipes.

Accurate temperature measurements and documented anomalies not only provide answers when troubleshooting or when tenants experience problems with the indoor climate – they are also an effective tool for identifying opportunities for energy optimization and cost savings in the building.

Fast and reliable temperature measurements with IR thermometer

With an IR thermometer, you can quickly and easily measure the temperature of surfaces such as radiators, floors, walls and windows using infrared radiation. Testo’s IR thermometers have an adjustable emission factor, allowing you to customize the instrument for different materials and get more accurate measurement results. Connect a sensor to also measure temperature in air and water. The wide range of applications makes the Testos IR thermometers a very useful instrument that fits in every building technician’s toolbox.

Read more about IR measurement and the emission factor

Detect heat leaks with a thermal imaging camera

A thermal imaging camera is an invaluable tool for both energy optimization and troubleshooting in offices, business premises and apartments with uneven or low heat. With detailed thermal images, you can quickly detect thermal bridges and leaks in the building envelope, for example around windows and doors where cold air can leak in.

Energy losses caused by leaks in the building envelope are often easy to fix, but can be very costly if ignored, especially during the coldest months. By documenting heat leaks and anomalies, you will have a clear basis for planning energy measures. Identify problem areas early and plan interventions such as window replacement or additional insulation to reduce energy costs and avoid tenant complaints. With Testo thermal imaging cameras, you can easily save thermal images and analyze the results in the associated IRSoft software – for even smoother energy optimization.

Education and training

When you buy a thermal imaging camera from Nordtec, our basic thermography course is included(not applicable to testo 860i), so you can get the most out of your instrument. Learn to understand the functions of the thermal imaging camera, interpret thermal images and act on the results.

Read more about thermal imaging cameras

The right instrument for the right purpose

Published 2023-11-16

The thermal imaging camera is a versatile working tool to say the least. With its detailed thermal images, you can ensure optimal indoor climates for people, equipment and machinery. And, more importantly, you have an opportunity to detect and fix costly energy wasters. Still high electricity prices make this undeniably interesting, right?

The colder the weather, the clearer the thermal images.

It is worth taking thermographic measurements of facades and indoor environments at regular intervals. However, in spring and summer it can be difficult to detect cold drafts or heat leaks. The reason is that the outdoor and indoor temperatures are too close together, which means that any problem areas are not as visible on the camera screen.

In other words, thermography is most effective with larger temperature differences outside and inside the objects being measured. When there is a difference of around 10 degrees between indoor and outdoor temperatures, powerful ‘flower patterns’ often appear on thermal images. They indicate leaks in the house shell where there is a risk of cold air entering or hot air escaping.

Practical conditions

In addition to a temperature difference of 10°C between outside and inside, these conditions should be met in order to obtain reliable thermal images:

• There should be stable temperature conditions
• Sun or other point sources of heat shall not illuminate the measuring surface.
• The surface to be measured must not be rain-soaked or damp.
• Make sure you have enough time to take and analyze pictures in peace and quiet.

Common problematic surfaces

The high electricity prices of recent years make thermography extremely valuable. IR measurement and detailed thermal images are an effective weapon in the fight against energy costs. A thermal imaging camera from Testo is a relatively small investment that quickly pays for itself.

At the touch of a button you are up and running and measuring. Either from outside or inside the property. You will usually find thermal bridges in ceilings and walls, balconies and attics, and heavy intermediate floors. It may also be worth focusing on surfaces around doors and windows. Often cold spots and heat leakage are due to defective, carelessly installed or non-existent insulation.

After taking a thermal image, you can analyze it either on the camera’s screen or on your computer, and then present the results to the person making the decision on what to do about the energy loss.

Published 2023-10-17

Every year, a large number of individuals and businesses suffer from water damage. In 2022, Swedish insurance companies handled a total of 35,205 water damage claims. Almost 60% of water damage was caused by aged pipes and fittings, followed by leaking appliances in kitchens and leakage through waterproofing in wet rooms.

According to the industry organization Säker Vatten, water damage costs property owners and society several billion kronor every year (6 and 10 billion respectively in 2020). An effective way to prevent a further increase in these costs is to detect water leaks at an early stage. Using a thermal imaging camera.

Pipe leakage in underfloor heating systems is a fault that can occur both in new construction and during renovation. Usually you can see signs of this by the fact that the pipes are not getting warm or that there is simply little or no pressure in the expansion tank.

If you suspect a water leak in your underfloor heating, you can do the following: turn off the heating and let the pipes cool down. Then run the underfloor heating again. Measure with a thermal imaging camera. You should see fairly quickly if and where there is a water leak in the system. The leak shows up as a “floral pattern” on your thermal image. With that knowledge, you won’t have to carve up the entire floor. Instead, you only need to open a smaller floor space, which saves a lot of time and money.

Suitable thermal imaging cameras

Pssst! Did you know that a thermography course is included when you buy a thermal imaging camera from us?

Read more about our thermography course here

For Erik Eskilsson at HSB, a really sharp thermal imaging camera is an indispensable tool for quickly tackling different jobs.

– “A thermal imaging camera like the testo 883 is a must for us to be able to quickly locate any sources of heat or cold loss,” says Erik, who appreciates the camera’s reporting function and unexpected ability to penetrate buildings and detect defects.

Erik Eskilsson is an operational technician in energy services at HSB Göta. In an area stretching from Jönköping to Halmstad, Erik works to investigate and fix business premises and apartments that are either too cold or too hot. Most of the time, it is about finding possible sources of faults that cause draughts and cold that tenants complain about.

A thermal imaging camera is an important tool for troubleshooting. Its detailed thermal images become unmistakable evidence of how things really are. Erik previously used a simple pocket model to, for example, detect leaks that cause houses to cool down.

However, the thermal imaging camera had its limitations and led Erik and his colleagues to explore the market for a more accurate camera with more features. After careful consideration, the choice finally fell on testo 883.

– A contributing factor was the possibility to set the emission factor (different materials have different heat emission) more accurately when reading metals and other different materials, to get more reliable thermal images. testo 883 also allows us to work more with electricity, such as measuring in power stations. For example, we carry out many preventive checks for housing associations where we check the distribution of electrical loads,” says Erik.

Checking charging points for electric cars

He adds that the growing electric car market results in more and more jobs to check loads and fuses in charging stations. The increased number of photovoltaic stations also provides more jobs.

– By sweeping with the testo 883, we quickly see if, for example, fuses are overloaded.

Before Erik started using the new thermal imaging camera, he attended a day course in thermography at Nordtec, which is always included in the purchase of a thermal imaging camera from us.

Erik thinks the course gave him new insights into thermal radiation and – not least – taught him how to use the camera properly to reach its full potential.