An EPC assessor will evaluate the energy efficiency of your home. They will calculate the amount of energy you consume each year, as well the environmental impact of your home. They will also provide recommendations on ways to reduce energy costs and improve your home’s energy efficiency. It will pay dividends to be prepared for your home visit by an EPC assessor, so here’s what you can expect.
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is based upon an assessment of the property carried out by a licensed Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA).
The domestic energy assessment involves:
- Establishing the age and construction method of the property.
- Measuring floor and wall areas of the property.
- Looking at heating systems including the boiler, heat emitters and controls.
- Identifying existing cavity wall and loft insulation.
- Identifying any alternative heating (e.g. solar) and energy-efficient products (e.g. energy saving light bulbs).
How long will the visit take?
Typically for a Domestic EPC, the assessment should take about 30 minutes and is rarely longer than 45 minutes. Naturally the size of your property will have an impact on the time required, be sure to ask when you make contact. You can find an assessor local to you in seconds using the Go Local EPC search.
How should I prepare and is there anything I need to provide?
Yes. For the quickest visit it is best to ensure that you can provide access to your roof cavity, if you own it (ie a bungalow, not in the middle of a block of flats). This is so the assessor can check for insulation, its quality and age etc.
Also if you have wall cavity insulation, naturally this can be difficult depending on the build of the property, the assessor will attempt to visually check for wall cavity insulation. You can save time by producing receipts that prove wall cavity insulation was installed.
The assessor will also check:
Window Glazing
The more glazing you have on your windows, the higher your EPC rating will be. Single glazing doesn’t provide as much protection as double glazing, and at times, triple glazing can be an option. However, the upfront cost needs to be weighed up against how this will impact your EPC rating.
The assessor will check all external windows and doors for the level of glazing.
Hot water System (ie Boiler)
• The manufacturer of the boiler.
• The model of the boiler.
• The type of boiler you have, i.e. whether it is combi, condensing, non-condensing or a back boiler.
Pro tip: If you insulate your water tank and pipes with lagging, this will increase your EPC rating. This is because it adds energy efficiency by keeping your hot water warmer for longer.
Lighting
The lighting in the property will be checked by the assessor, the use of energy saving light bulbs does have an effect on your rating.
Solar / Solar Hot Water Heating
If you property has solar electricity, solar hot water heating or any type of renewable energy, these will have a positive effect on your EPC rating.
Can I do the EPC myself?
Absolutely not. The Energy Performance Certificate is a legal document and can only be conducted by an accredited assessor. They will conduct the assessment taking into account all of the factors outlined in this article, this information is then fed into software which then calculates the EPC rating based on the current legislation. The resulting certificate will be uploaded to the accreditation service which is then submitted to the UK Government.
How long does the EPC last?
10 Years. If the property is not let to tenants, then the EPC will only need to be re-checked after 10 year period if you choose to sell your property. All properties for sale legally must have a current EPC. If you are letting a property, then the EPC must be continually kept up to date as it is illegal to let a property in the UK without a current EPC.
Any of the Go Local EPC assessors will conduct the assessment on the property as outlined by the Government’s RdSAP methodology and will conduct the entire survey professionally, you probably have one very local to you.