Heat Transmission Coefficient of Wooden House—Comparison of Infrared Thermography Measurements and Calculation

In this paper, the thermal insulation performance of a wooden house was evaluated with infrared thermographies which were captured by a non-contact and non-destructive method. Heat transmissions were determined by the difference between surface temperature of outdoor and indoor sides of the walls, which were measured with an IR ray signal, and indoor and outdoor air temperatures. The heat transmission coefficient, which was determined by IR thermography, was compared to the coefficient calculated with thermal conductivities of wall component materials. The heat transmission coefficient calculated through wall components was 0.24 W/m2·K, while the coefficients determined with IR thermography ranged from 0.27 to 4.61 W/m2·K. The invisible thermal insulation defects in the wall, such as heat losses from the premature deterioration of thermal insulation material and air leakage through windows, were observed by IR thermography. It is expected that the results of this study could be used effectively not only for improving thermal insulation performance but also for suppressing decay occurrence in wooden building materials.

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