The following are some changes that most property owners can make to achieve a higher EPC rating for their property:
- Install efficient lighting in ALL fixed light fittings.
- Install a minimum of 250mm of insulation in the loft space, preferably at the joists.
- Install modern double glazing with a glazing gap of 16mm and UPVC frames.
- Have cavity walls filled with insulating material by a professional contractor.
- Insulate the ground floor whether it is of solid or suspended construction.
- Upgrade the heating system to condensing combi boiler system.
- Install TRVs (Thermostatic Radiator Valves) on radiators.
- Install a good heating controller that gives you control over what time the heating is active and to what temperature it should heat the property.
Completing some of the above suggested improvements will increase your EPC score but the possibilities do not end there, solar water heating, heat pumps, photovoltaic arrays and other more advanced efficiency measures can have a marked impact on increasing your EPC rating. Location of the property is a factor in what measures will work best, a building in a high exposure risk area should not have cavity wall insulation for example, your Domestic Energy Assessor and EPC will inform you of what improvements are relevant to your property and EPC rating.
In 2020 the ‘Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards’ (MEES) for domestic dwellings was updated and all domestic properties for rent must meet a minimum energy efficiency rating of E or better. If the property does not have an EPC that shows a rating of E or more it must be improved before it can be let out. If a landlord fails to comply with these standards they can be subject to fines of up to £5000 for each property that they own that is not in a state of compliance. That is unless they have filed a satisfactory exemption.
It was proposed that to help the UK reach the goal of Net Zero by 2050, that the MEES will be updated and all rental properties must be rated C or better by 2030.
For the majority of buildings, increasing their EPC rating to C or more is achievable without adding renewable energy systems to them if they produce heat and light through efficient means and have a good standard of thermal insulation.
As always, the first step to improving your EPC rating is to get an up to date EPC completed by an accredited and certified Domestic Energy Assessor, this will show you the recommended improvements to make, and in what order to make them, to improve your EPC rating.
Contact Teesside Energy Solutions, EPC provider in Middlesbrough, today by clicking here.