Getting ready for an EPC visit
Tips to get the best possible rating on your EPC.
A Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) gathers photographic or documentary evidence that is entered into government approved software. If visible or documentary evidence isn’t available, “Unknown” into the software, which generally makes the EPC rating lower.
Your assessor collects the following:
- Dimensions of the property
- Age of the property
- Type of walls, roofs, floors
- Any extensions / conservatories
- Type of lighting
- Type of glazing
- Type of heating
- Amount of Insulation present
- Any renewables installed
These things that will help your Assessors visit:
- Make all rooms are accessible
- Make sure access to the boiler is possible –The Assessor will have to get the model and photographs of your boiler. If this is in a restricted place, help by making access possible, or by providing the boiler manual with the boiler ID if you have it.
- Make sure access to the loft is possible – Your assessor will have their own access equipment to get into the loft. If your loft hatch is in an awkward / dangerous place or locked, your Assessor may not be able to determine the amount of insulation in the loft and enter “Unknown” into the software, which then uses the building regulations based on the age of the property. In most cases this will significantly reduce the energy rating.
- Hot Water Cylinder – If you have one, make sure any clothes are not blocking its view. Your assessor needs to see the amount of insulation on the tank, whether it is a single or dual immersion, and whether it has a thermostat around the base.
- Guarantees – It would help if you have any guarantees, if you have had cavity wall insulation or a Fensa certificate if you have had windows installed.
- Year built of any Extensions – If you have had any extensions built, documentary evidence of year built would be useful, such as any completion certificates from the local authority or receipt showing year from your builder. Documentary evidence of year constructed for any loft conversions is particularly important.
- Floor insulation and internal wall insulation – These are not usually possible for an Assessor to get visible photographic evidence, so again any documentary evidence you have would be useful.
- Renewable Technologies – If you have had any solar pv, solar thermal, or heat pumps installed, then you should have been given an MCS certificate from your installer. If you have one, show it to your Assessor. This will ensure that the product you have had installed meets a certain minimum standard and this will improve the energy rating.
- Garage Access – In many cases garages or workshops can be an integral part of the building and need to be measured. Access is also required if it contains the homes boiler or meters.
- Gas and Electric meters – Make sure these are accessible, especially if they are in indoor cupboards or the back of a utility room.
Boarded Lofts – Can be problematic. The EPC conventions state that the thickness of the loft insulation must be visible over at least 75% of the loft area before an Assessor can enter the depth of insulation into the software. If the insulation can’t be seen and measured, for example if it’s full of belongings or fully boarded, then the Assessor has to enter “Unknown” into the software. In cases where some of the loft is boarded and some of the insulation is visible then the property can be split and each section dealt with separately.
Because it’s not usually practical for customers to lift the boards, these scenarios tend to rate the insulation on the EPC lower than it may really be. As previously mentioned, the software will use the building regulations of the loft insulation based on the year the property was built. So for example, if the loft was boarded in a 1940’s house it will assume no loft present and in a 1980’s house it will assume 150mm insulation. However, loft insulation would not show as a recommendation on the EPC. Again documentary evidence of what depth insulation under the boards is possible to use but is usually not available.
Finally – Even if you can’t find or produce any of the information mentioned above, an EPC can still be conducted on the property, but the rating is likely to be lower.
The Assessor won’t need to see any service records, as the EPC doesn’t take into account the condition of any particular item. Unfortunately the Assessor can’t use information verbally told to them by the customer. Only photographic or documentary evidence can be used to produce the EPC.
The two biggest things that make an impact on the EPC are the heating and the insulation. So evidence for these two elements will help you most.
Article references: Elmhurst / EPC Home