Simple ways to improve their EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) Note

This is a legal requirement for all national assets in the United Kingdom at a pass on the energy efficiency (EPC) available before a property is sold or leased. All EPC must be supported by the National Energy Advisor (DEA) issued. This article describes what the DEA, when an inspection of the CPE, and what simple steps you can ensure your property can look gets the best possible rating.

In an investigation by the DEA for EPC 5 key elements look like this:

• How the property is built

• How is the heated room

• How is water heated

• How to turn the property

• What are the ventilation systems are in place



The DEA collects data on all these elements, these data into a piece of software that generate the EPG are included. The use of the software to produce the EPC is the standard data reduction rating (RDSAP).

RDSAP is a simplified version of the evaluation process more stringent standard (SAP), which is used to build the simplified energy (SBEM) for the commercial production of new work and CPE.

RDSAP simplified methodology was to produce cost of the domestic production of CPE, due to the complexity of the results of both methods in the study longer, which is acceptable to the commercial market, but not for domestic properties was chosen.

The method includes the software RDSAP a number of assumptions, rather than collecting data. This makes EPC within easier and faster to produce, reducing the cost for the owner / seller and therefore helps to increase compliance. All this is good, but at a price, with the acceptance in lieu of data can lead to properties that you are on any force that does not adequately reflect the energy efficiency of buildings of the guests.

At the head of the EPC software to meet the assumptions of the DEA on assumptions in conducting an investigation of the CEP. If this happens, they are forced to assume the worst, as if a light turns out to be empty always assume that if the lamp is replaced by a light bulb instead of a low energy consumption.

There are several low-cost measures, an owner take to ensure that your building is the best rating possible energy can.

Availability:

The first and most important thing to do to ensure that the evaluators may have access to all parts of the property, they need to have to examine the PRC investigation, as everyone assumes that they are forced to do is probably a poor EPC qualification. For example, if it were not for the experts who mezzanine access when the door is closed or on the Internet on the eve of the storage space is blocked by the material, then the assessor any insulation formed to present possible. The same applies to hot water, if the DEA can not open the cabinet with the barrel then it is expected to see that no insulation.

Have documents ready:

If your property or a part of since 1996, according to the DEA may be the conversion date as the date of construction of this element in the CPE into force, but only if you sign the building regulations in terms of the leaf, otherwise the date of construction is included and the main buildings date from the original building, resulting in a poorer grade of CPE.

Insulate your water tank:

As part of the inspection EPC DEA, how well insulated your hot water tank. Most tanks have 25 mm foam insulation or jacket. Hot water cylinder jackets are cheap, and adding a fee or pass on the insulating foam will make a noticeable difference in your EPC rating.

Remove space heaters:

If the inspection EPC assessor finds any kind of portable electric heaters or propane on the property, then presented as a method of secondary heating. In most cases this will be your property by causing a lower performance because they are probably one of the least efficient heating properties of the heat source. If you delete these heaters, if only the source of the heart are taken into account.

Change the charcoal:

If you have a fireplace on your property, then this will be included in the CPE, whether a coal or wood stove. The DEA an assumption about what the fire on the basis of what they see at the time of the inspection. If there is no visual evidence that the use of fuel will be forced to coal, which is a result worse than the use of wood to take over. It is therefore advisable to remove the coal bucket, and replace it with a wooden basket.

Lock channels not used:

All open burning will result in a decrease in the number of EPC, as they will let the heat from your property. It is therefore advisable to lock all unused tubes. This can be as easy as filling is a roof insulation replacement.

Energy saving lamps:

If you then have to adjust lights and lamps energy saving lamps. Not recommended for all units, replace all light bulbs low energy consumption, but only to replace the old one burned. Although the bulbs have an impact on the rate of the CPE, is only a little. For example, change all the bulbs in a tube with four bedrooms yarn, make a difference of 2% of listed properties from the EPC. Although this is only a small improvement, it is possible that you make a difference in your score if you at the border between, say, an e-mail or note are D.

Of course there is much more than they could to improve his rating of the EPC that the replacement of the boiler with a cast of a boiler, which increases the insulation in your attic and filling the cavity walls. However, if you follow the above tips, you have to do everything possible to economically and simply the EPC rating before visiting the DEA.