Did you know – your property EPC rating can affect your property’s overall value? And EPC ratings are something today’s home buyers are actively weighing into their purchasing decisions.

With the government launching their Warm Homes Plan to tackle fuel poverty and high energy bills in the UK, there’s more focus on energy efficiency than ever before,

That’s why we’ve written this handy advice. All homeowners need to understand property EPC ratings and why they’re important in today’s market. We also share tips for some of the best ways you can increase your property EPC rating.

What is a property EPC rating?

Launched in 2007, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal document which rates the running costs of a property in terms of energy efficiency.

The rating is displayed on an A to G scale, as highlighted in the example below. You’ll see, as well as a current rating for the property, a potential rating is also shown. Should all the EPC assessor’s recommendations be applied to the property, the potential rating can be reached.

An EPC is valid for ten years and one is required whenever a property is marketed for sale. If you sell your property with us, we can help you get obtain an EPC. An EPC should be in place and made available to buyers as soon as your property goes on the market for sale.

What is included in an EPC assessment?

As well as your property’s energy efficiency rating, the EPC includes a breakdown of each property feature’s energy performance. The EPC assessor is looking at how these features use and lose energy. This covers walls, the roof, windows, your main heating system, any main heating controls, lighting, floors, hot water, air tightness and any secondary heating systems (for example multi-fuel stoves or an open fireplace).

Alongside your EPC, you will be given a list of recommendations or recommended measures for improving your property’s energy performance. But you can be one step ahead of this, by reading our tips to increase your property EPC rating, further on.

Why do EPC ratings matter?

Buyers are much more savvy in today’s market. And that’s in large part down to the cost of living. Today’s buyers know the property they want to buy, their budget and what they can afford in terms of living costs. And we’re seeing more buyers looking for homes that offer longer term cost efficiencies. For example, buyers find homes that have already had significant building work completed, attractive. That’s a lot down to the increase in costs for construction projects, materials and labour. Extensions and new roofs as much as new boilers and heating systems, are all appealing.

And it’s the same with energy efficiency. Energy performance has become more prominent in homebuyers’ decision-making. Buyers are aware of the EPC rating. They know the difference between a good one and one which needs significant improvement. They know, the better the EPC rating, the more energy efficient the property. Which in turn, for them, means lower, more manageable energy bills. Having a good EPC rating is not a complete deal breaker for a property sale. But it can help your property stand out to buyers, help you receive better offers and avoid negotiations on price.

Tips for increasing your property EPC rating

So, what can you do to improve your EPC rating? And how do you know whether your EPC rating is good or bad, if you’ve lived in your home since before 2007? Well, this information might be useful.

These are some of the most common improvements which you can make to improve your EPC rating.

Install loft insulation

Too little or no loft insulation will impact your energy efficiency rating. If you bought your home with loft insulation (laid between and over the ceiling joists), it’s worth checking whether you have enough of it. Today, the government recommends a minimum loft insulation thickness of 270mm.

Loft insulation is one of the most cost effective ways to reduce heat loss and energy waste. It’s where anyone worried about their EPC rating should start. And good loft insulation can take your property up a whole grade on an EPC rating. So, it certainly pays to get a professional installer in to insulate your loft. They’ll use the correct materials to the correct thickness.

Install wall insulation

The same goes for your walls. If you have adequate insulation in your walls, you can prevent heat from escaping. Homes built before 1990 will not have had cavity wall insulation installed as standard. If your home has cavity walls – have you had insulation installed?

The only issue with wall insulation is older properties. Altrincham is abundant with properties built before 1920. These are more likely to have solid walls or a more limited cavity, making cavity wall insulation unviable. There are ways to insulate solid walls from both the inside and outside, both of which are costly. One cost-effective method is to fit internal insulation boards to a room when you are redecorating, even if it is working on a room at a time. Keep reading to find out more about period properties and EPC ratings.

Upgrade from single glazing to double glazing

New glazing is an excellent investment and will add value to your property. Double glazing lasts between 20 and 35 years and will massively improve your property’s energy efficiency, too. It keeps warm air in, reduces draughts and can increase your property EPC rating by nearly a full grade. So, it’s worth doing. There is even triple glazing available on the market, today. The type and style of windows you get will depend on the type of home you have, and your budget.

But if you do replace your windows with the view to sell in the future – remember to get a FENSA certificate for your installation from your glazing installer.

Replace your old boiler

If you have a boiler that keeps failing, is expensive to repair and is near the end of its lifespan, it makes sense to replace it. You’ll benefit from an improved EPC rating, and you’ll save on repair and running costs. If your boiler is old but works well and you have good insulation, then you have a decision to make. It might be that your current EPC rating is hovering just below the band above. In this case, a new boiler could push your property into the higher EPC band.

With boiler replacement, ideally, you want to replace your old boiler with a modern, A-rated combi or system boiler. You might need to replace or partially replace your radiators, too, but your plumber should be able to advise on this. But before you rush out to change your boiler as a means to improving your EPC rating, check your property’s insulation first. A boiler on its own won’t make much of a difference to your EPC rating if your insulation remains poor.

Install solar panels

If your budget allows, there’s no better way to propel your property up the EPC ratings than through the installation of solar panels. Many sources highlight that a 4kW solar system (a common size for small-to-medium households, the equivalent of 8-10 high-efficiency solar panels) can add up to 15 points on your EPC. If, for example, your property was in Band E, this will take your property up to Band D.

Even before looking at the EPC ratings, homes with solar panels are very attractive to today’s buyers. Knowing immediately that running costs will be lower, homes with solar panels can command much higher prices on the market.

If you’re thinking about installing solar panels, a professional installer will assess the size of solar panel system you will need based on the size and type of your property. From there they can establish the amount of adequate roof space you have and how many panels it will be able to take.

No one solution for all properties

It’s important to remember that there are lots of different types of property out there, especially in Altrincham. That means the recommendations for improving EPC ratings will vary. Factors impacting the recommendations you might receive depend on your property type, property age, property build type and any existing instalments.

However, if you’re looking for a first place to start with your EPC rating, we recommend focusing on insulation.

Which leads us onto the important point of property age, and older properties…

What if I have a period home in Altrincham?

If you are fortunate enough to own one of Altrincham’s many beautiful period properties, then you’ll need to take a different approach to improving your EPC rating. While Victorian homes are beautiful in character, they perform notoriously badly on EPCs.

When it comes to improving a period property’s EPC rating, prioritise the following. And in this order…

–           Loft insulation. This is the lowest risk area to focus on, which offers the biggest benefits.
–           Floor insulation. Lots of Victorian homes have suspended timber floors over a ventilated void which are draughty.
–           Secondary glazing. A good compromise for sash windows, where an extra pane is added to the inside to significantly reduce draughts and heat loss.
–           General draught proofing. Look at areas around chimneys, fireplaces and sash windows, as well as original doors and frames. There are draught proofing solutions available which protect period features.
–           Internal wall insulation. As we explained earlier, Victorian homes usually have solid walls through which cavity wall insulation can’t be injected.
–           Upgrade old boiler.
–           Hot water efficiency. Upgrading pipe lagging and cylinder insulation is affordable and makes a big difference.

From there you can go on to explore options depending on your period home’s suitability. For example, low-carbon heating like heat pumps to renewables such as solar panels.

Need an EPC certificate for your property? Interested to know what your EPC rating is before you sell? Our team can put you in touch with a professional EPC assessor.
>If you are selling your home and don’t currently have an EPC that’s less than ten years’ old, you will need either a new one or your first EPC. We can help you arrange that.

Why not take advantage of our FREE valuation, too! As local estate agents, we specialise in selling homes in Altrincham, Timperley, Hale, Hale Barns and  Bowdon. If you sell with us, you will get care and attention to your property sale every step of the way. Plus, EPC advice!
>>>Contact us today on 0161 941 4445 or visit us at our NEW estate agents showroom at 19 The Downs, Altrincham, WA14 2QD.