EPCs are typically used by prospective tenants or buyers of new homes to make predictions about the expected cost of their energy bills. For this reason, before a home is sold or even rented out, an EPC rating is required. Additionally, rental properties must have an EPC rating of "E" or above in order to be eligible for new leases and renewals. In conclusion, homeowners should look at their EPC rating more frequently as a tool for increasing the efficiency and operating expenses of their home.
How to improve your EPC in London
Your property’s value is likely to rise if your EPC rating is improved. Studies conducted by the UK government’s Department of Energy & Climate Change and MyMoneySupermarket have both demonstrated how a home’s value may increase with a higher EPC. In fact, if raised from a G rating to a D rating, the typical English home’s value might rise by as much as 14%!
LIGHTING
In the UK, the average household’s power bill for lighting is about 15%. You may save money and raise the EPC rating of your home by switching to LED light bulbs for the lighting. This is how:
- When compared to old-style halogen or incandescent lights, LED bulbs use 80–90% less energy.
- Compared to an incandescent bulb’s 3,000 hours of life, an LED may last up to 100,000 hours.
- Residents might save up to £2,975 over a 25-year period by switching to LEDs, which are 10 times more efficient than the lights they replace.
- They can raise an EPC rating a few notches at a relatively little cost.
DOUBLE/TRIPLE GLAZING
In older homes, in particular, a lack of double glazing might make it difficult to achieve the requisite efficiency rating. The quantity of heat loss from a building via its windows can be decreased by investing in double or triple glazed windows.
A new double pane window can:
- Increase a building’s EPC rating by five to 10 points.
- Installing it might cost between £2,000 and £5,000, but homes could save between £100-£140 annually on heating bills (for a detached home).
- External noise reduction is one of the other benefits, which is beneficial for more urban properties.
LOFT INSULATION
Around 25% of the heat lost by an uninsulated building is lost via the roof. Using the recommended 270mm of rock wool to insulate a loft can:
- Depending on the sort of property they live in, individuals might save up to £215 a year.
- Save up to 990 kg of CO2 annually to lessen the carbon footprint of the home—this is about comparable to one roundtrip journey from London to New York!
- Increase a home’s EPC score by up to 20 points.
WALL INSULATION
The average home loses around one-third of its heat via the walls. Due to their solid, cavity-free walls, homes built before the 1950s are far less effective at retaining heat. Insulating a cavity can:
- Reduce the annual heating costs of UK homes by up to £160.
- within five years or less, pay for itself.
- simultaneously raise a house’s EPC score and (resale) value.
NEW BOILER AND HEATING SYSTEM
Your boiler’s kind is one of the main determinants of an EPC rating and greater energy costs. Up to and over 90% of energy may be saved by a modern boiler or heating system. Boilers from the 1970s, in contrast, are often just 65% efficient.
Another inexpensive and environmentally beneficial method of providing a home with hot water is to update the heating system with a Solar Assisted Heat Pump (SAHP). Adding solar panels to a property can assist run a home’s hot water system on free, sustainable energy because they are electricity-powered.
AN EFFICIENT SECONDARY HEATING SOURCE
The primary source of heat in a residence is supplemented by secondary heating systems. Because they don’t require fossil fuels to generate warm and cold air, electric heat pumps, for instance, are becoming more and more popular. Other advantages are:
- Each year, less greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere.
- reductions in energy costs.
- the capacity to run on renewable energy (see below!).
SWITCHING TO A RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM
Renewable energy sources not only offer clean, affordable energy but also significantly raise a property’s EPC rating. Installing a solar PV system atop a building is one common method of achieving this.
Solar panel installation can:
- Increase a property’s EPC score to D or above.
- Increase the value of a home by being able to independently produce your own power.
- Spending less on energy costs can save UK citizens anything from £90 to £270 annually.
SMART METERS
Smart metres are innovative technology that may help locals save time, money, and energy. At the end of March 2020, there were an amazing 15.5 million smart metres in use throughout British households. Here’s why:
- Reading your metre is a thing of the past because they deliver readings to your energy provider automatically.
- You can always count on receiving accurate and current bills.
- By monitoring and modifying their power use based on their smart meter readings, residents may save money (all contributing to a better EPC rating).
