When should you get a solar thermal inspection?
Thermal inspections use infrared cameras to identify hotspots, cell damage, and wiring faults that are invisible to the naked eye. Not every system needs one — but some definitely do. Here are the signs that indicate a thermal inspection is worth the investment.
Related issues
Cell hotspots
Localised overheating in individual cells caused by micro-cracks, shading, or manufacturing defects. Best detected via thermal imaging.
Typical loss: 5–20%Detection: thermal
Wiring or connection issues
Loose connectors, corroded terminals, or damaged wiring causing resistive losses. Can be a fire risk if severe.
Typical loss: 3–20%Detection: electrical
Is your system affected?
Use our free Solar Loss Checker to estimate how much energy your system may be losing.
Check my systemBased on conservative solar performance modelling and published degradation data
NRELIEA-PVPSSunSpecPVsyst+ published research
Updated April 2026 · Structured performance modelling
How we calculate →