What is EPC rating?
EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate, and it's a certificate that shows your home's energy efficiency. An EPC gives you a full breakdown of how energy efficient your home or business is, as well as suggestions for how you may increase energy efficiency and the potential savings you'll see as a result of these adjustments. A standard EPC is a four-page document with a traffic light rating system that ranges from A+ (the most energy efficient) to G (the least energy efficient) (the least energy efficient).
An EPC is required regardless of whether a home is being built, sold, or rented in the UK. This Energy Performance Certificate includes an estimate of how much it will cost to heat and light the building, as well as a general assessment of carbon dioxide emissions and suggestions for how to improve your EPC rating. Importantly, an EPC for a property must be renewed every ten years, so keeping a current certificate is essential.
EPC rating A = 92-100 SAP points (most efficient)
EPC rating B = 81-91 SAP points
EPC rating C = 69-80 SAP points
EPC rating D = 55-68 SAP points
EPC rating E = 39-54 SAP points
EPC rating F = 21-38 SAP points
EPC rating G = 1-20 SAP points (least efficient)
what are the easy methods to improve your EPC rating?
- Loft Insulation.
- Wall Insulation.
- Windows with double or triple glazing.
- energy-efficient boiler.
- LED Bulbs
Loft Insulation
Loft insulation is a cost-effective way to boost your energy rating. If your home’s current insulation is old or non-existent, you can improve your rating by installing insulation such as open cell spray foam or certain other alternatives. Uninsulated lofts can lose up to 33% of their heat through the roof, making it one of the most vulnerable regions of the house to heat loss. As a result, loft insulation is a fairly popular way to improve your EPC. In order to get the best results, you should add insulation that is at least 270mm thick.
Wall Insulation
Wall insulation is another type of insulation for your home that can help you improve your energy efficiency. Cavity wall insulation and solid wall insulation are two types of wall insulation. Cavity walls, which consist of two walls with a cavity in the middle, are more frequent in modern construction. The cavity can be readily filled by pumping spray foam insulation into the cavity. If you’re insulating an external solid wall, you can also insulate the area on the outside.
Your property’s walls are also a focal point where heat can escape; solid or hollow walls can lose up to 33% of heat. As a result, you can boost your EPC rating by adequately insulating your walls.
Double or Triple Glazed Windows
The most crucial first step in raising your EPC rating is to insulate your home; after that, it makes sense to keep as much heat in your home as possible. You can achieve this by installing double or triple glazed windows. Although window glazing has little effect on your EPC rating, it does add to the efficacy of your current insulation. New double-glazed windows can raise your EPC score by 5-10 points on average. Triple-glazing is another potential option that is gaining popularity; nevertheless, it can be considered as a superfluous cost with just a minor impact on your EPC score. Insulation is the most important thing you can do to improve your energy rating.
Efficient Boiler
Using a more contemporary and efficient boiler can also help you improve your score, as ineffective boilers have historically been a problem for homeowners. Newer boiler models can give your home with a more efficient heating system, reducing waste and energy consumption and so improving your score. Installing a high-efficiency boiler can boost your EPC rating by as much as 40 points. Heating technology, such as an intelligent thermostat, can be used in conjunction with this to provide you additional control and monitoring over your heating.
LED Light Bulbs
Using eco-friendly and energy-efficient LED light bulbs will help you achieve your desired Energy Performance Certificate score by making minor improvements in your Energy Performance Certificate. Your property will become more sustainable and eco-friendly by replacing obsolete halogen or incandescent light bulbs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Because of its ease of installation, effectiveness, and long-term energy savings, LEDs have become the standard in most homes.
