Many people don’t know what the EPC rating is. Due to this, they miss a lot of benefits in the form of electricity bills’ reduction and soothing home’s environment.
If you don’t want to miss any benefits of EPC rating, you should research about this. The following blog post can help you in this research.
EPC Ratings: What it Means and Why it Matter
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating is a legal document with numerical or alphabetical representation of energy efficiency of a building. There is a specific department of government which does the assessment of the buildings and rates them according to their energy efficiency.
In the United Kingdom, it is necessary for every building to have an EPC rating especially during buying and selling. This will reflect the energy efficiency of building and help in deciding the rates. At the same time, this rating also helps to estimate the energy costs in coming years. The home owners use this rating to figure out the ways to reduce the energy consumption and electricity costs.
Cracking the EPC Codes: Understanding the EPC Codes
EPC rating is given from 1 to 100 or A to G. To understand the meaning of each rating, you need to know the factors affecting energy efficiency of building. The most important factors are the size of building, number of rooms, and people living in the home. At the same time, the entire home insulation and quality of the heating systems also affect EPC rating.
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EPC Rating A
EPC Rating A means the highest possible energy efficiency of a building. The houses which are equipped with high quality heating systems, renewable energy sources, and advanced insulation have the EPC rating of A. These have solar panels, advanced insulation, heat pumps, and efficient ventilations.
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EPC Rating B
The EPC rating B also means that the homes are highly energy efficient. But these reduce bills lesser than those with EPC rating A. Such homes also have insulation, heating systems, and smart thermostats.
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EPC Rating C
EPC rating C is given to the homes with partial energy upgrades. There are loft or cavity wall insulation in such homes. This rating shows that the homes still need improvements regarding energy efficiency.
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EPC Rating D
The EPC Rating D defines the energy efficiency of the older homes. These houses have poor insulation and outdated heating systems. The owners need to pay a lot of energy bills due to these inefficient systems. Moreover, the EPC rating D shows that the homes need upgraded heating systems and proper insulation.
The EPC F and G shows the least efficiency of the building. In such homes, there is a very urgent need for proper insulation and heating systems.
The Simplest Way to Get Your Home’s EPC
The simplest way to get your home’s EPC rating is to hire a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA). However, the site needs to be prepared properly before the assessment. This preparation includes the completion of construction. Everything regarding energy efficiency needs to be done before EPC assessment.
To make the process simple and easy for you, we have divided it in the following steps:
- First of all, find out the well reputed and experienced EPC assessor.
- You have to schedule a meeting and discuss all the cost requirements with them.
- After this, they will assess your building. They will take all the information about the building with them. In some days, they will send results in the form of EPC rating.
- Moreover, they will send information about measures to increase the energy efficiency of your building. The best thing about this assessment is that they provide the precise data about the measures that can easily improve the rating.
Once you have taken the EPC rating, it will work for the next ten years. If you forget your home’s rating, you can call the respective authorities to get this information.
When is the Right Time to Get EPC Rating
There are several situations when you need the EPC rating. You need to define the energy efficiency of your home to estimate its value. Especially when you are selling it or renting it. At the same time, when you are buying a building, you should check its EPC rating. It will help you know how comfortable it will be in terms of warmness.
EPC rating is not all about a home’s value, it is also used to improve the energy efficiency. Whenever you want to renovate your home or upgrade its energy system, you need its current EPC rating. This rating will not only describe the current energy efficiency but also the places where improvement is required.
Top Benefits of EPC Rating You Can’t Ignore
Reduction of Energy Costs
When you implement all the recommendations of the EPC rating of your home, the energy efficiency of your home will increase to a great extent. This will reduce the consumption of energy by enhancing the quality of the heating system and decreasing the heat loss.
Increase of Home’s Value
Investors and buyers are willing to pay more for the homes with high EPC rating. One of the main reasons behind this is the long term financial benefits in the form of low energy bills. At the same time, they are more comfortable for the families.
Compliance with Legislation
In the UK, there is a law regarding renting a property. It must have an EPC rating above E. If your home have lower EPC rating, you need to upgrade the heating system and improve the insulation of your home.
In this way, you can make your home ready for renting. Otherwise, you may face legal allegations on renting your property.
Reduce the Maintenance Costs
The EPC rating provides detailed information about the things that need improvements. When you make all the measurements mentioned in the EPC rating, it will increase the quality of your heating system.
The high quality heating systems don’t need frequent maintenance or repairing. In this way, it will not only reduce the maintenance costs but also give you a peace of mind.
Boost Your EPC Ratings: Proven Strategies That Work
You can increase the EPC rating of your building by following the measures mentioned in the current EPC ratings. Some of the most commonly mentioned ways in the EPC ratings are the following:
- Install a heat control system in your home. This system includes the thermostat, programmer, and thermostat radiator valves.
- Replace the current inefficient boiler with an efficient and smart boiler.
- Install a high quality insulation around walls and roofs.
Moreover, you can take the suggestions from the experts to improve the EPC ratings of your home.
Final Words
EPC rating is necessary for both comfort and finances. Whenever your home’s EPC rating expires you should immediately go for a new EPC assessment.