What do you need to know about EPC?

EPC is a legal requirement for all properties in the UK which came into existence on April 2012, to be used as a part of Europe’s commitment to the Kyoto Agreement to help improve the Energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings.

EPC tells you a rating from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient) about how energy efficient your building is. It lets the person who will use the building have an idea how much it will cost him to heat and light. The owner also gets an idea of heat, light and reduced carbon emissions of his house.

EPC is one part of the wide range of measures taken across Europe to control the carbon footprint, climate changing factors and to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels.

EPC also states what the energy efficiency ratings will be if improvements are made and highlights cost effective ways to achieve better efficiency. This certificate will also provide details on Green deal for more cost and energy efficient measures for property owners.

Why Get an EPC?

If you are likely to sell or rent out your residential or commercial property, you will need EPC before you give away any advertisement. The first page of the Energy Performance Certificate will be needed to be attached on your classified marketing materials. You must get your EPC made by an approved Domestic Energy Assessor before you market out your property for rent or sale. Domestic & General Heating is a fully accredited company providing commercial and residential EPC’s.

NEW EPC REGULATIONS

Keep in mind that from 2018 you will not be able to rent your property if it has an EPC rating of 38 or less (band F & G). Therefore start making changes to your home to meet the requirements.

DRAWBACKS OF EPC’s

Unfortunately as EPC’s don’t look that deep into how actually you are using your energy in the home, e.g. how many people live in the house, what temperature you prefer in rooms, how much hot water is required, it isn’t the most accurate tool for seeing how much you can save under such conditions.

For an additional level of detail, you should really get a Green Deal Assessment carried out on the property. What’s the difference? This looks at energy usage as well as the more general things covered in an EPC giving you a much more accurate picture of your home’s energy efficiency.

EPC’S AND GREEN DEAL ASSESSMENTS

EPC is a requirement to fulfil the Green Deal, but since its launch EPC has been modified a bit by the government meaning that older EPCs are no longer valid for new Green Deals so you will have to go for a new one.

So if you are needing an EPC anyway, you might as well pay that little bit extra and get yourself a Green Deal Assessment. A Green Deal Assessment lets you discuss your home with a trained advisor, and looks at things like electricity bills, behavioral advice, and of course the finance packages and grants available to you. For that extra few pounds it is really worthwhile. 

Cold Proof your home for better heating

It makes sense to keep the precious heat where it’s needed the most and where it should be, make your home more efficient and environment friendly by following these simple tips for cold proofing;

Check out for Gaps, Draughts and Leaks:

Get all your little holes and openings filled in your house that let out warm air. This is an easy and cost effective step as all you have to do is find the draught and fill them. Either track down the holes in daylight if you see through the walls. As for the difficult ones with the help of an incense stick track down the suspected draught area, if you find smoke moving that’s your point, get it filled. Opt for draught excluders if you can’t work out your way through insulation.

Insulate your home:

No matter how efficient and up to mark your heating system is, it still won’t keep you warm and run economically unless your home is properly insulated. This case is true for old properties that are rarely insulated to the best modern standards. Weak insulation allows the heat to escape and cold air to enter, making your home cold and uncomfortable. Reviewing your insulation is a vital step for anyone wishing to improve energy efficiency.

Get your radiators bled:

Bleeding the radiators helps in removing trapped air and gases. Trapped air is one of the most commonly encountered problems in central heating systems that cause poor water flow and make the system work in a less efficient manner leading to higher energy bills.

How do you check whether your radiators need bleeding or not?

Simply place your hand on the radiator to check the temperature and then place your hand downwards. If the top is cold and the lower half is cold, then this is a sure sign of air being stuck in the radiator which definitely requires bleeding. Get a Gas Safe Registered engineer to check your radiators.

Check for Gas Safety:

We usually forget to keep a check on Gas Safety issues on our appliances, it’s important to be extra safe, as malfunctions in gas appliances can be fatal, hire in a Gas Safe registered engineer to have a look at your appliances, opt for carbon monoxide sensors and alarms for a better and safer heating experience. This is important to detect problems before they get out of hand and require expensive repairs. Simple routine checkups are usually inexpensive but they save you thousands of pounds in a long run as you get to know the problems at an earlier stage.

Keep a Check on your boiler:

The boiler we use accounts for around 55% of our energy spending per year, so the maintenance of your boiler is well worth before winter starts. A full boiler service not only helps your boiler run efficiently, decreases your heating costs but also prolongs the life of the boiler system.

For an efficient heating you need to understand the boiler, take out its manual and go through it. Get to know about its settings and functions, understand its timing mechanism so that you can efficiently spend energy when needed without wasting it.