Why is an EPC important to you?
When renting, buying or selling your property it is a legal requirement to have an EPC. This is an Energy Performance Certificate. This is a rating system for how energy sufficient your home is.
On the EPC it will give you some examples of how you can improve your energy performance. This could be things such as installing a different kind of heating system, having double glazed windows, better insulation or switching to energy saving light bulbs.
Having a home with a better EPC will mean your home is more cost effective for you, but also it will be better for you if you were to sell or rent your home.
The EPC came about after the Paris Agreement was launched. This agreement encourages countries to take part in signing a deal to lower their carbon emissions by the year 2020. The EPC's were part of the process of reducing emissions.
When you have an EPC assessment you will get examples of how you can improve your rating. There is also a part of the EPC called the Green Deal Finance. This is a way in which you can have energy- saving improvements to your home and the best way to pay for them.
On the graph if there is a green tick next to a recommendation such as "Cavity Wall Insulation" that means that you can get government funding to improve this section.
A amber tick next to a recommendation means you may be able to get some government funding for the improvement however you may have to make a contribution to the price of the fix.
Ways in which you can improve your EPC.
Lighting-
Replace your existing halogen or non-low Energy Lighting with Lighting Emitting Diodes (LED). Lighting Emitting Diodes are more effective, versatile, and last longer.
LED's are directional light sources which means they direct light in a specific direction, unlike incandescent and CFL, which emit light and heat in all directions. That means LED's are able to use light and energy more effectively.
Roof Insulation-
Ensure that your roof insulation is at least 270mm in depth. This is simple and inexpensive to introduce and will have many positive impacts to improve your EPC but also to insulate your home better.
If your roof is 90mm or less you can get funding to have the loft filled or topped up.
Wall Construction-
If your property has cavity wall construction ensure that it is filed. This will mean that less heat will be leaving your home, meaning your home will be more cost effective. This is again a simple and inexpensive to intorduce to your home.
Central Heating System-
Replacing an old and inefficient boiler with a newer and more sustainable boiler. This can be an expensive alteration to your home, however this is a great way to introduce a more sufficient heating system to your property.
If introducing a new boiler is to expensive, its always a good idea to think about heating controls. So even if you have an old boiler you can instal modern controls such as a thermostat or individual Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs). Which will have a positive impact on your EPC results.
A thermostat is a component which senses the temperature of a system so that the systems temperature is maintained near a desired setpoint.
Renewable Technologies-
There are a wide range or technologies and solutions of renewable enery. For example solar/photovoltaic panels generate hot water and electricity through to bio-mass boilers and ground source heat pumps, these will replace your normal conventional central heating systems.
Renewable energy technologies can be up to 20X more effective. They will give your home a positive EPC rating, making it more attractive to future buyers. Not only that it's also an environmentally friendly alteration.
Updating EPC Regulations in 2018-
From 1st April 2018 the department of Energy and Climate Change have changed the law so any private sector rental properties will be required to have an EPC of an E or above. landlords will not be able to rent out their property if the EPC is less than an E on the rating. This is because they want to make homes more environmentally friendly and also more cost effective.
This will apply to new lets and renewed tennacies from April 2018, and it will then be applied to exsisting tennancies from from April 2020. If landlords breach these laws they could be looking at a fine of up to £5000.
How we can help...
At Red Squirrel Property Shop we can carry out an EPC assessment on your property, and with this we will supply information on how you can improve your EPC rating and give you tips and pointers.
