Are you thinking about building, selling or renting your property?
Energy-saving has been the topic of conversation this year. What with the Government putting additional pressure on energy companies to help the country run more efficiently, saving energy is something that seems to be at the front of everyone’s minds.
Energy Performance Certificate
As part of their endeavour to promote energy-saving and cut the number of emissions that the country is putting into the air, the Government have introduced the need for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for anyone who is selling or renting a property. A surveyor comes to the property to check the state of the energy efficiency measures that are existing. There are a number of factors which are looked at, including insulation, the condition of boilers, hot water tanks and radiators and the glazing.
Once the surveyor has surveyed the property they will then make recommendations about what else can be done to improve energy efficiency. They will then give the property a rating from A (the most efficient) to G (least efficient). This certificate can last for 10 years, and, shamefully, the majority of properties in the UK have a rating of only a D or E.
A Better EPC Rating
A major player in getting a better EPC rating is by installing secondary glazing. This helps to reduce the amount of energy that escapes through ill-fitted windows as well as convection through a single pane of glass. It won’t change the overall outside look of a property but is a great way to save energy and therefore save money on energy bills.
Other benefits are that it will keep your house cooler in the summer as well as drastically reduce the level of noise that comes in.
It is now a legal requirement to have an EPC for a property when you are either renting or selling, and its energy rating can be a deal-breaker, so it is highly recommended that you attempt to make your property as energy efficient as possible before carrying out the survey. Secondary glazing can provide a huge leap in the level of its energy rating.