Thermal scan of my vaulted ceiling. Do these warm spots look normal?

[Mattwhat]

Our house is about 15 years old, and this room has always been warmer than the rest of the house. We’ve mostly lived with it, but we’re now looking into some insulation issues in the attic.

There’s an unconditioned attic space above the vaulted ceiling, with fiberglass insulation along the ceiling. Access is from the left side of the framing photo, but the truss webs make it tight. I’m not sure I can reach all the way across.

Does this pattern look like normal heat transfer through the framing, or something worth checking for insulation gaps or air leaks?

I was considering adding EPS or rigid mineral wool over the attic side of the existing fiberglass where I can reach, but I’d like to understand the cause first.

Has anyone dealt with a similar ceiling?

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Looks totally normal to me. The light fittings and joists are bound to be less insulated.

Presumably the rockwool was cut off square along its top edge, to the measurement as seen from inside. But the ridge board is at an angle relative to the pitch so there will probably be a triangular void along it.

But the percentage of roof affected is close to nothing. The camera colours make it look dramatic, but in fact there's only a 5 degree difference between those apparently burning hot bits and the coolest parts.

Insulation is not like sealing a leak - if a ship is 1% leaks then it will sink. If a room is 1% uninsulated then it's still 99% insulated so its performance will be 1% less than in an ideal world where joists aren't needed.

A loft room will always trap heat, as it rises from below and the sun is baking the outside surface. You can't expect infinite insulation.

Have you removed all the plasterboard for some reason?

 

[^woody^]

The temperature differential between the gable wall and roof junction, including difference between each side of the gable need to be explained to confirm that it has a reason and would be expected.
Especially that cooler area to the left gable where the taping had been done

The pattern of the trusses indicates none or low continuous insulation. Ideally the temperature differences should be very low.