The Process of Creating an EPC
We are property surveyors who specialise in Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s), based in Brighouse and covering Huddersfield, Halifax and surrounding areas.
In order for a domestic EPC to get an accurate ‘energy rating’, we look at a number of factors. We need to have access to every part of the property to be able to carry out the assessment properly. Creating an EPC on a property that has already been built, as opposed to one that is going to be built are done quite differently. This is because when a property has already been built, we have to make some assumptions based on the age of the property and based on what we can physically see. This makes it very important to be able to accurately age the property, as this will have an effect on the insulation values of the walls and floors.
Below you will find some of the factors we look at when undergoing an EPC:
- The size of the property
- The property’s ventilation
- What and how much insulation there is
- The property construction type
- The lighting types in the property
- The amount of habitable rooms
- The heating systems in the house and how they are controlled
From the information that we put into the software, we are able to rate the energy efficiency of the property on a scale from A to G, with A being the most efficient, and G being the least.
Lighting
We assess the amount of fixed light fittings in the property as well as identifying whether each lightbulb that is fitted is using low or high energy. With some properties this won’t have a massive effect, but imagine a large kitchen with downlighters using the old style high energy type of bulbs. It’s not unusual to see 50 lights fitted into the ceiling. This could potentially be like running a 2kw heater in your ceiling. Switching these to LED lighting could reduce the usage to a tenth of that!
Loft
We will always have a look in the loft whilst undergoing the EPC. Although, we may not need to go all the way inside the loft as long as we can determine the amount of insulation there is in the loft, and whether it is on the joists or rafters. Currently, it is recommended to have 270mm of insulation at the joists. We will also use the loft access to determine the type of wall that divides your property from your neighbours.
Windows
We will look at all windows of the property to determine whether they are single, double or triple glazed. We will also check when the glazing was installed, therefore if you have BFRC data or FENSA certificate, this will help us with this and can be used as evidence.
Heating
We will look at the heating systems in the property. We will have a look at the heat controls and type of boiler, any thermostats, thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs), and any other heating systems that are in the property, such as coal, gas coal-effect fires or log fires. It can be useful to have any boiler documentation present if possible.
Photos and Measurements
We take a series of photographs and measurements throughout the assessment. These photographs could be of the inside or the outside of the property. This is since we are regularly audited to ensure that we are consistently producing top quality, consistent EPC results. We also draw a plan of the house, take measurements of the dimensions of the property and show these measurements on the plan.
We are also more than likely to ask you questions about the construction of the property, including when it was built, whether the property has had cavity wall insulation. Cavity wall insulation that has been installed later is normally obvious for us to se, but there can be times when we may need some evidence of the installation. You might want to have details of any additional construction work that has been done or whether you have heat recovery technology. Heat recovery technology is not always something that we can physically see, so always useful to provide us with any documentation if they have been installed.
After the Assessment
Once the assessment is complete you will be provided with the Energy Performance Certificate. This certificate will be split into four different sections:
- Information about the property, the date the assessment took place, a reference number and the average energy costs for a property of that house type.
- The A-G energy-efficiency rating, as well as an Environmental Impact CO2 rating.
- Actions and recommendations which the assessor suggests so that you can improve the energy-efficiency of the building and whether you might be eligible for grants
- A summary of the property’s features and their energy rating based on u-values. U values are a way of measuring how efficient building elements are at retaining energy in the property.
The amount of time we spend at your property depends on a few different scenarios. For example, the size and shape of your property, as well as the access that we need to get to all areas of the house.
Although, the process of getting an EPC is very thorough, if you have relatively easy access to all areas of your property, it is not a disruptive process. In addition to being a legal requirement when you sell or rent a property, it can also be a useful tool to improve the property’s energy-efficiency.
If you want anymore information, or you need an EPC, then please do not hesitate to contact ourselves or go to our dedicated page about EPC’s.