Just like the sticker on new kitchen appliances which has many different colors, the Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) indicate the level of energy efficiency concerning a building while they rate it from very efficient (A) to inefficient (G). EPCs specify how much it will cost you to light and heat your house as well as the levels of carbon dioxide emissions that your home emits.
A home energy assessment also provides a list of recommendations for energy improvement, and it shows you what the energy efficiency rating will be if you proceed with the improvements suggested to you.
If you rent a property, you can still apply many of the improvements suggested on the EPC Cert, for example switching to more energy effective light bulbs, etc.
5 Cheap Ways To Achieve a High EPC Rating
Here are 5 ways to improve the EPC rating of you property without investing too much:
1. Fit an insulating jacket over the hot water tank
An insulating jacket for your hot water tank is the most economical way for you to save energy, reduce your bill costs and attain a higher EPC. You can get a jacket for less than £10.
2. Keep your paperwork safe
For an EPC evaluator if you cannot provide him with certain paperwork to prove that certain work has been completed, this will almost certainly badly affect your EPC rating. For instance, if you have installed a loft insulation but you cannot gain access to the loft to show it to the authorized person, he will take it for granted that you do not have it.
3. Insulate the loft
Insulation is of huge importance to save energy and the cheapest for of insulation is thermal wool insulation. A house which with an uninsulated loft is losing almost up to 25% of the heat. A standard UK 3 bed semi could be insulated with just a few rolls of thermal wool insulation that can be purchased from your local DIY store.
4. Put new light bulbs
May be one of the most frequent recommendations in an EPC report is to fit low-energy bulbs. It is a fact that a low-energy bulb cost more money to buy, however it uses 90% less energy and lasts 12-15 times longer than an ordinary bulb. You can get LEL bulbs for £1 in your local pound store.
5. Modernize your boiler
In the second place after insulation, your home’s heating system is the most important component to your EPC rating. A combi condensing oil boiler or combi condensing gas boiler can cut your house’s costs up to £300 in comparison with your old regular boiler. Shop around for combi condensing boilers in places like ebay.
Tip: For a better EPC rating, if you have gas mains supply in our street, consider a combi condensing gas boiler. Combi condensing gas boilers rate better than combi condensing oil boilers. That applies to mains gas supply and not to LPG gas.
This concludes the list of the 5 most cost effective ways to increase your EPC rating. The responsibility to provide an EPC is with the landlord or seller to arrange it.