British Columbia · Energy · checked September 28, 2026

Thermal imaging inspections in Vancouver

An infrared camera shows missing insulation, air leaks and damp spots without opening a wall, but only when it's at least 10°C colder outside than inside. Vancouver's mild winters make timing the scan the main thing to plan.

Get matched in Vancouver → How an infrared scan works
Hands holding an infrared camera aimed at a ceiling corner beside a frosty window; the screen shows a cold streak

Cost

Usually included; confirm

Best conditions

≥10°C inside/outside difference

Winter design temperature

−4.4°C

Houses built before 1961

31%

How Vancouver is built

Vancouver's houses by when they were built Ten house shapes, one for each tenth of Vancouver's 115,455 houses. Before 1961: 31%, 1961–1990: 31%, 1991–2000: 13%, 2001 or later: 25%. Older houses glow hotter.
  • Before 1961 31%
  • 1961–1990 31%
  • 1991–2000 13%
  • 2001 or later 25%
Each house stands for one in ten of Vancouver's 115,455 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row and duplex), drawn by when it was built. The glow shows the usual pattern: older houses tend to be leakier and less insulated. Snowfall scales with heating degree-days. Sources: Statistics Canada 2021 Census (table 98-10-0233-01), NRCan HOT2000 climate data.

When to book in Vancouver

Vancouver gets about 2,768 heating degree-days a year and has a winter design temperature of −4.4°C, according to NRCan's HOT2000 climate data for Vancouver International. With winters that mild, a 10°C difference isn't guaranteed every day, so book the scan for a cold morning or evening, and ask the advisor to reschedule if the forecast is too warm.

A 1950s brick bungalow on a snowy suburban street at dusk, lamplight in the front window
The same bungalow as an infrared camera sees it: heat glowing around the door, window frames, eaves and the rim joist above the foundation
Illustration: the same house in visible light and in infrared. A winter scan shows where heat escapes: door and window edges, the eaves, and the rim joist above the foundation.

What the camera finds in Vancouver houses

Of Vancouver's 115,455 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 31% were built before 1961 and 62% before 1991, according to the 2021 Census. Older houses are where the camera earns its keep: empty or settled wall cavities, gaps at the top of walls, and cold corners where framing bridges the insulation. Run it with the blower door test depressurizing the house and every leak shows up as a cold streak.

What it costs

Most EnerGuide advisors include an infrared scan with the evaluation, but it isn't required, so confirm when you book. There's no provincial price list; the City of Nanaimo quotes $400–$500 as typical for an existing home. Several B.C. municipalities subsidize evaluations for their residents (see local programs below).

NRCan-licensed service organizations serving Vancouver

Most EnerGuide advisors bring an infrared camera, but it isn't a required part of the evaluation, so confirm when you book. The scan is most useful with the blower door running.

Source: NRCan list of licensed service organizations, checked September 28, 2026. Call to confirm your street is covered and ask about wait times.

Programs and local help in Vancouver

Provincial · needs an evaluation BC Home Energy Improvement Bonus $20 for every percentage-point your home improves — $750 minimum, $2,000 maximum — or $300 for any two upgrades Open

Thermal imaging inspection in Vancouver: common questions

When is the best time for a thermal imaging inspection in Vancouver?

Pick a cold morning or evening in winter; the camera needs at least a 10°C difference between inside and outside, which isn't guaranteed every winter day in Vancouver.

Can a thermal camera see through walls?

No. It reads surface temperatures. Missing insulation or an air leak shows up because it changes the temperature of the wall or ceiling surface.

Who does thermal imaging in Vancouver?

Most of the 29 NRCan-licensed organizations serving Vancouver bring an infrared camera to an EnerGuide evaluation; confirm when you book.

Thermal imaging inspection near Vancouver

Thermal imaging inspection in Burnaby10 kmThermal imaging inspection in Richmond11 kmThermal imaging inspection in Coquitlam18 kmThermal imaging inspection in Delta20 kmThermal imaging inspection in Surrey25 km All 70 cities →

Sources

Checked September 28, 2026. Census figures are for the municipality (British Columbia); climate data is NRCan's HOT2000 station Vancouver International (10 km away).

Get matched with a registered advisor in Vancouver

Tell us your postal code and what you’re planning. We’ll connect you with one licensed service organization serving your area. No spam, no shared lead lists.

Email us what you’re planning, your postal code and the type of building (a house, a duplex or triplex, or a larger multi-unit building) — we’ll reply with registered service organizations for your area and which rebates apply.

Email dave@clickshift.ca

This inbox is answered by a person. Participating advisors pay us a referral fee — you pay nothing, and it never affects the directory.