Energy Performance Certificate – EPC

Energy Performance Certificate – EPC

What is an EPC?

An EPC tells you how energy-efficient a property is and gives it a rating of A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). It also gives it a score from 1 to 92+. The higher the score, the less the fuel bills are likely to be, and vice versa.

(Note – it is now a legal requirement for a property to have an EPC if it is for sale or being rented out).

If the property has a good rating/ score, the EPC will look like this:

However, if it has a poor rating/ score, the EPC will look like this:

As you can see, the EPC gives the current rating of the property and the potential rating if the energy-saving measures it also recommends are adopted.

The EPC assesses the walls, roof, windows, heating, lighting, water, and floors of a property. It then recommends ways of improving the energy-efficiency of these features, and therefore the overall Energy Efficiency Rating of the property.

It also gives:

£ an estimated cost of each of the recommendations;

£ how much money each recommendation is likely to save you in a year; and

The potential improved Energy Efficiency Rating that can be reached for each recommendation carried out.

 

The EPC also measures the tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) that a property produces in a year. CO2 emissions is one of the largest contributors towards climate change and is affected by the amount of energy used for heating, lighting and power. To help protect the environment, carry out the measures that the EPC recommends.

Does your property have an EPC?

If your property is in England or Wales, simply head over to the gov.uk website, type in your postcode, and find your property name/number! If your property is in Scotland, go to https://www.scottishepcregister.org.uk/

If it has an EPC, you can save it free of charge as a PDF.
You can also compare your property’s energy performance with homes similar to yours!

How to improve your home’s energy-efficiency rating

Improving your home’s energy-efficiency won’t just save you money on your energy bills; it will make your home a warmer, more comfortable place to live. It can also help to improve the value of your home!

• Cavity Wall Insulation: If you have cavity walls, make sure they’re insulated. Approximately 35% of heat escapes through cavity walls that have not been insulated.
• Loft Insulation: Is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve your EPC rating. Going from zero loft insulation to 270mm can improve your rating and stop 25% of heat escaping through the roof.

Furthermore, you might qualify for a grant to help with the costs.
Head over to https://www.freeinsulation.co.uk/ to find out.

• Upgrade your heating: Your heating system plays a huge part in your EPC rating. If you have an old boiler, upgrading to a new, energy-efficient model will improve your rating. Having central heating installed instead of inefficient gas/coal fires, electric heaters, etc will also improve your rating.

Head over to https://www.freeheating.co.uk/ to find out if you qualify for a grant to help with the costs!