Top Tips To Boost Your EPC Rating
Since 2007 it has been a legal requirement to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) if you are selling or renting out a home. From 1st April 2018, it will also become unlawful for landlords to grant a new tenancy on a property with an Energy Rating of less than E. Your home’s EPC is a measure of its energy efficiency and any improvements that boost your home’s EPC will reduce energy bills and could also enhance its value too.
With all this in mind, here are a few top tips from one of our Energy Assessors, Jamie Davies, for improving your energy rating before an assessment.
- Start with the small stuff. Change all your light-bulbs over to energy efficient ones, add permanent draught proofing around doors and windows and even letterboxes and keyholes.
- Open fire and draughty chimney? Temporary solutions such as chimney balloons are great, but don’t count towards your EPC rating. Consider permanent solutions such as installing a wood burning stove. However, if you are sealing up a chimney, always remember to ventilate the flue properly to avoid any dampness that may occur.
- Insulate, insulate, insulate! Top up loft insulation to a minimum thickness of 270mm and underfloor insulation to 250mm.
A (perhaps) surprising word of warning though – we choose NEVER to recommend installing cavity wall insulation in Wales! The whole of Wales is categorised as Zone 4 – Very Severe or Zone 3 – Severe, on the UK Exposure Zone Map for wind-driven rain. In these areas, rain can easily penetrate the outer wall, bridge the cavity via the insulation material and cause major internal dampness. Please think twice before installing cavity wall insulation as it is costly and extremely difficult to remove effectively if there are problems.
- Windows. Up to 10% of a building’s heat can be lost through its windows so installing double or even triple glazing can make a significant improvement. However, on period properties, where it is important to keep original features such as sash windows intact, secondary glazing should be used instead.
- Upgrade your boiler. Consider replacing an old inefficient boiler with a new energy efficient one with programmable heating controls, room thermostats and individual Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) on every radiator.
- Renewables. Why not consider installing environmentally friendly renewable energy upgrades? Solar panels for electricity and hot water, ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps have all come a long way in recent years.
- Bigger Upgrades. Although perhaps better suited to more rural properties, roof or pole mounted turbines cost between £3,000 to £19,000 to install depending on size and location. According to the Energy Saving Trust, a well sited 6kW turbine can generate around 10,000kWh a year. With feed-in tariffs and electricity bill savings, this could generate an income of £1,500 a year and reduce your carbon footprint by around 4.5 tonnes of CO2 a year.
Do you need an EPC Certificate? Call us today for a competitive quote on 01685 378894 or 02920 625433.
