Keeping your home or flat as energy efficient as possible is vital. Not only will it mean you or your tenants pay less on electricity and heating, having an excellent EPC rating will make it much easier to sell or let your property.
Thankfully there are a few quick and easy ways you can improve your EPC rating. But first, for those who are unsure what an EPC rating is and how it is measured let us explain.
What is EPC rating?
An Energy performance certificate is the rating scheme used to evaluate how energy efficient and environmentally friendly a building is. The EPC rating is measured on a scale of 1-100 with “A” being the best score of between 92-100.
As of April 1 2020, it is against the law for landlords to rent out a property with an EPC below “E”. This means, older properties that weren’t designed with sustainability as a priority could face a penalty up to £5,000 for non-compliance unless green upgrades are actioned.
It might seem harsh, but ultimately, investing in healthier living conditions is beneficial for both homeowners and tenants.
What does an EPC measure?
An energy performance certificate focuses on measuring factors like, how much power a property uses and its carbon dioxide emissions. Once a property has received a rating, its EPC will include areas where energy can be reduced, further saving money – as well as the planet!
The process to get an EPC is pretty straightforward:
- The homeowner would need to find an accredited domestic-energy assessor to inspect the property.
- The assessor will measure the size of the building.
- They will then analyse how the property was built, as well as its current heating system.
- Photographs of the building, relating to the assessment, will be taken as reference.
- The energy performance certificate will be issued.
Affordable ways to improve EPC rating
To secure the best EPC rating possible for a building, owners should consider doing home eco-improvements before having an inspector rate the property. Below are a couple of tips on how you can improve your EPC rating.
1. Loft insulation
Adding loft insulation can cut your energy bills by up to £215 a year. Loft insulation blocks heat from entering your home in the summer and stops heat escaping during the winter. This results in a cooler home in the summer and warmer in the winter.
2. Replace old light bulbs
An even easier way to improve your EPC rating is by switching up all your light bulbs with much more energy-efficient LED ones.
3. Cavity wall insulation
Cavity wall insulation will significantly reduce heating bills. Buildings with solid walls could settle with just insulating the external walls to lessen costs.
4. Double glazing windows
Double glazing will not only minimize the amount of heat escaping through them, they will also help to reduce the carbon footprint of a home, as well as reducing the noise. So triple win on this one.
5. Upgrading a boiler
Upgrading to an energy-efficient boiler one can raise an EPC score by as much as 40 points. The minimum EPC rating for a building is 39 – meaning, the property could reach the compliance standard in one upgrade. Alternatively, a more cost-effective option is to insulate the hot water cylinder.
For a homeowner to increase their EPC rating, taking on insulation, double glazing and heating all at once, instead of one project at a time could be more cost-effective. If a building is eco-efficient enough, it could be eligible for certain benefits, not to mention how attractive it will be to property buyers or renters.
