An energy performance certificate (EPC) tells you how energy efficient your property is. From lowering your energy bills to reducing carbon emissions, being aware of your EPC rating is important whether you’re a landlord, tenant, homeowner or buyer. Here, we explain more about what an EPC is, how to improve your Home’s EPC Rating and some of the benefits of having a better EPC rating.
Let’s take a look.
What is an EPC rating?
You’ve likely seen an EPC rating before, but in case you haven’t these appear as two charts, energy efficiency rating with coloured bars and energy impact rating with blue and grey bars. An EPC is ranked by letters, graded from A to G, with A being the best rating and G being the worst.
Your property will be given two ratings, its current rating which explains how your home performs now and its potential rating, which details how your property would be graded if you made some attainable improvements.
An EPC also gives a numbered rating between 1 – 100. This score is in relation to the government’s Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). Your numbered rating determines which lettered band your property falls into.
The bands and scores are:
| EPC rating | SAP points |
|---|---|
| A | 92 – 100 |
| B | 81 – 91 |
| C | 69 – 80 |
| D | 55 – 69 |
| E | 39 – 54 |
| F | 21 – 38 |
| G | 1 – 20 |
How to improve your EPC rating
Improving your property’s EPC is a win-win. Not only will it benefit you with lower energy bills, but you’ll also be reducing your carbon emissions and impact on the environment. You’ll also notice that your home stays warmer for longer, requires less energy to heat up and you might even see an increase in value.
The key to improving your EPC rating is to focus on energy efficiency. There are plenty of options available to you here. These include:
Double glazing
Windows are a common source of heat loss for a property. This is especially true if your property hasn’t yet upgraded to double glazing yet. Even if you do have double glazing which was added some time ago, you may wish to upgrade to more modern, more energy efficient versions.
Seek out draughts
It’s common for homes to have draughts. This is an unwanted gap that can lead to heat loss and a cold breeze through your property. Seek out any draughts and fix these where possible, you can find products specifically for this purpose in most DIY shops. Be careful not to block up any intentional ventilation points though. Houses still need ventilation and extractor fans and vents are common in each house for this purpose.
Loft insulation
Lofts are one of the most common causes of heat loss in a house. Adding loft insulation can be a cheap and easy way to improve the energy efficiency of your property. It’s surprising how much you can save on your energy bills by doing this.
Consider replacing your boiler
If your boiler is on the older side, it might be inefficient and costing you money. Think about replacing it with a newer, more energy efficient model.
Think about installing a smart meter
Smart meters can be a great way of seeing how much energy you’re using on a daily basis. This can help your family take a proactive step to use less energy by making small changes every day and seeing the benefit.
How to get a new EPC rating once you’ve made improvements
Once you’ve made the necessary improvements to make your property more energy efficient and reduce carbon emissions, you’re going to want to get a new energy performance certificate.
You can do this by arranging for a new energy assessment. If you’re looking to do so, it’s best to find an assessor through the government’s online portal here.
Your estate agent may offer to arrange an energy assessment for you if you’re selling your home, however, this might be a more expensive option, so be sure to do your homework.
Your property’s energy performance certificate is publicly available via the government’s online portal. However, you’ll also likely get a digital and paper copy of this too once the energy assessment has been carried out.
You can expect to pay between £35 – £120 for a new EPC, however, this price varies based upon the size and type of property you have. The cost of getting an EPC will vary from assessor to assessor too, so be sure to do some research and don’t just go for the first assessor you find.
Need help from a professional?
If you’re looking to improve your property’s energy efficiency by changing your windows to double glazing or adding some further insulation to your home, you’ll likely need some help or advice from a professional. If that’s the case, we can help by bringing you in touch with an architect.
Last Updated: August 22nd, 2023
