A GUIDE ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HOMES ENERGY EFFICIENCY -

1. INSULATE LOFT AND WALLS 

Nearly 50% of heat loss in a typical home is through the loft and walls. Heat loss through the roof affects the overall EPC rating considerably however these days loft installation is pretty easy and fairly cheap to have done. 250mm of insulation could save as much as £200 a year on fuel bills, a considerable amount considering the price of gas and electricity at the moment.

Having cavity wall insulation (brick and block construction) is another major issue that may affect the EPC rating of your property. Again this is fairly cheap and easy to have done and can result in saving of up to £160 a year on heating costs. For older properties with solid brick construction you may want to consider adding external or internal insulating material to the walls which achieve a similar effect as cavity wall insulation. However there are some factors which may limit these implementations, please seek the guidance of your qualified local installer or alternatively please contact us for more information. 

2. DOUBLE GLAZING

Double glazing is a sound investment irrespective of your potential EPC rating, as it reduces noise pollution and adds value as it is generally preferred by potential buyers as well as potentially saving you £100 a year. Again with double glazing there may be restrictions limiting their installation in your area if you are within a conservation area or your property is a listed building. Your local council offices will be best placed to advise you should there be any restrictions. However where double glazing is not possible there is always the option of installing secondary glazing which can achieve a similar result.

3. REPLACE YOUR OLD BOILER WITH A CONDENSING BOILER

If your boiler is on its last legs or its some years old then it may be worth considering a replacement. The type of boiler you have in your property has a great bearing on the EPC as one of the main assessment criteria is space and water heating. Older boilers are far less efficient than new condensing boilers and some older models have an efficiency rating of less than 50%. That means if your boiler uses £300 worth of fuel per year to run your hot water and heating appliances then £150 is wasted in lost energy. However with newer condensing boilers the efficiency is far greater and they convert around 90% of fuel they use into heat.

4. INSTALLING HEATING CONTROLS

Adding timer switches for heating and hot water, room and cylinder thermostats and thermostatic radiator valves, will improve the efficiency of the heating system. It can cut running costs by as much as £130 a year and ensure that rooms are kept at a comfortable level as well as ensuring there’s little wasted energy with devices continuously running regardless of need.

5. HOT WATER CYLINDER INSULATION

Modern hot water cylinders already have factory applied insulation and this is generally more than adequate. If you have an older cylinder this may not have any lagging or it may have a loose insulating jacket. By adding or increasing the lagging on your cylinder to 160mm could cut your cylinder heat loss by up to 75%. This measure is definitely worth considering especially since the cost of insulating jacket is fairly cheap and very simple to add to your cylinder. You should also consider insulating exposed pipes helping them retain heat.

6. LOW ENERGY LIGHTING

The EPC assessment notes the type of lighting through out the property and only includes fixed lighting in the main property excluding internal side lamps, out houses and other external lights. Although the price of a low energy light bulb can be higher than a traditional light bulb they tend to outlast normal light bulbs considerably and also use less energy more than repaying the initial outlay.

After reading this guide should you require more information and advice please feel free to contact us at info@berkshirehip.co.uk we’ll be more than happy to help.