Top Tips for a Better EPC Rating

An EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is needed in the UK if you wish to build, sell, or let a house. The EPC is information that must be handed over to the renter or buyer, and in Scotland you must display the EPC certificate near the house’s boiler. You can contact EPC Glasgow or EPC London for an energy certificate. A house is a little more valuable if it has a higher EPC rating, so here are a few tips for a better EPC rating.

Take A Look at Your EPC Rating

Your house’s EPC rating has been listed online. You are able to view it on the EPC Register.

Read the report, and you will see a section called “Recommendations.” Here, you will find advice on what you may do to improve your energy rating and lower the amount you are paying for utilities and/or lower your carbon footprint.

Below the recommendations section, there is a similar section that gives you “Further measures to achieve higher standards.” Both the recommendations and further measures sections give you a rough idea of how much it will cost to improve your EPC rating.

Automatic/Temperature-Engaged Heating Controls

There are heating control systems that work with a thermostat. Once your house reaches a certain temperature (high or low), the heating starts up or turns off. You should turn off the system when you leave the house so that your heating doesn’t come on while you are not home.

The idea is that the human element is taken out of the equation. No longer will you fall asleep with the heating on, and no longer will you leave the heating on so long that you need to open a door to let a little cold air in. Plus, it comes on again when it gets too cold, which helps stop you taking further heating measures such as using personal/fan/room heaters.

Solar Water Heating And Solar Photovoltaic Panels

These pieces of technology take some of the burden off your utilities so that you pay less for your energy over time. Many people find the initial costs of these devices to be prohibitive, but the costs even out over time, and they help cover the cost of energy-usage spikes, such as if you hire a bouncy castle for your child’s birthday and run it all day. The solar water heaters are fantastic too because they still work in winter, and they save far more money in real life than manufacturer tests indicate, as manufacturer tests have to assume linear use with no wastage, and that is just not how people live.

Wind Turbines Offer Crafty Savings

You may raise your EPC rating with a wind turbine, and some of them are rather cheap. The potential savings are always noted as being pitiful, but not only do they raise your EPC rating, they also save you plenty of money if you use them shrewdly. For example, some people use them to power their Bitcoin mining technology, others to power their air filtration/management systems, and others to power their garages, sheds, and greenhouses. Then there are people who install wind turbines to earn Feed In Tariffs.

“Better” Double Glazing Throughout the House

Simply having double glazing will not necessarily give you a good EPC rating, but is of course better than having single glazing. High quality double glazing that was built to keep the heat in will cost more, but it will have a bigger impact on the house’s EPC rating. Poor quality and/or cheap double glazing will not be as efficient as retaining heat and will therefore not achieve as good an EPC rating as high quality double glazing.

Insulating the Walls and Roof

Again, if you pinch pennies when it comes to insulation, then your house will have a lower EPC rating. Just because your roof is insulated, it may still earn you a lower rating. The insulation needs to be professional and thick, if you want a higher rating.

The same is true for wall insulation since the EPC assessor will consider the quality of your wall insulation before giving your rating, and if heat is being lost, then your rating will drop. You may be losing heat from thermal bridges, or because your PUR cavity wall insulation wasn’t installed correctly. People using EPS beads often have higher EPC ratings than people using Glass Wool, Rock Wool or PUR foam.

For more tips on how to save energy in your home, check out this blog post.