How to Increase Your EPC Rating

1. Install LED light bulbs.

Replacing your traditional incandescent or even compact fluorescent lights with LED counterparts is an affordable way to trim energy usage. LED bulbs use up to 90% less energy and tend to last much longer.

2. Draught-proofing.

An unassuming but effective way to enhance your home's energy efficiency and increase your EPC rating is by draught-proofing. This involves blocking off unnecessary gaps that let cold air in and warm air out.

It's a small investment with big returns, including increased comfort and reduced heating bills.

3. Fit Thermostatic Radiator Valves or TRVs.

Fitting these devices on your radiators can give you individual room temperature control, maximising your heating system's efficiency.

The standard analogy TRVs will help your EPC score, but in the real world there is a more effective option, smart TRV’s, which are more accurate and way more controllable so you’ll make even more savings. I have these in my house and they save me around 14% on my annual heating bill (savings will however depend on a lot of different things such as the size of your home, insulation present etc.).

4. Add insulation to your hot water cylinder (assuming you don’t have a combination boiler).

Although often overlooked, this small action can have a significant impact. Proper insulation can prevent heat loss, aiding in water heating efficiency and thus translating to energy and cost savings.

Once your boiler has heated the water it’s stored in your hot water cylinder, you will want to keep that water as hot as you can for as long as you can and fitting a jacket to your cylinder is cheap and simple.

5. Increase your loft insulation.

If you have an open loft area this is relatively affordable, yet a well-insulated loft could save you hundreds of pounds yearly on heating costs, effectively keeping heat in during winter and out during the hot summer months and increase your EPC rating.

6. Add wall insulation.

Adding insulation to the cavities of your wall (assuming they’re suitable) is another brilliant and direct way to increase your home's heating efficiency.

If your home has solid walls you can insulate them either internally or externally, thought this is more expensive than adding cavity insulation. But it makes a big difference.

7. How to increase your EPC rating by adding insulation to your suspended timber floor.

This should not be underestimated. Although it can be a bit trickier to install than loft or wall insulation, effectively insulated floors can stop more heat loss than you might think. Logic would suggest that heat rises so there is little point insulating the floor, right? But you need to think about air movement.

If you think about the open fireplace scenario from above. The heat rises up the chimney flue and this drags air from outside through gaps in the fabric like suspended timber floors. So insulating your floor the right way with vapour control layers etc can stop this air movement and insulate the floor at the same time.

8.Fitting a thermostatic control to your hot water cylinder.

This enhances your control over your boiler so that a signal can be sent to your boiler, saying stop heating the water in the cylinder, once it reaches a certain temperature. Stopping water heating when it’s not needed helps save on energy costs and contributes to a high EPC rating.

9. Get Rid of Your Open Fire/Decorative Fuel Effect Gas Fire.

Did you know that decorative fires or open fireplaces can be a major source of energy loss and reduce your EPC score significantly? Some decorative fuel gas fires can reduce your EPC score by up to 10 points!

Replacing them with a glass-fronted fire or glass fronted stove creates an efficient heat-retaining barrier and will ultimately increase your EPC rating.

Open fires of any sort create a draw effect where the warm air rising up the flue drags other warm air from within your home up the flue with it. Which in turn drags in cold air from outside, so open fires are not good. This also happens to a lesser extent even when the fire is not lit.

10. Install a zoned heating system.

This will may mean a larger investment, but it ensures heating is utilised only where required. By dividing your home into zones (typically ground floor, first floor and hot water), the heating system can adjust temperatures across different areas, optimising energy usage.

A cheaper alternative is the smart TRV’s mentioned above which will mean you end up with every room being its own zone, not just ground and first floor zones.

11. Upgrade your boiler.

If your boiler is old or inefficient changing it will make a significant difference to your EPC score.

A new A-rated condensing boiler will be at least 90% efficient, provide efficient heating and could significantly reduce your energy bills.

13. Install photovoltaic panels.

These are a great way to increase your EPC score, but they’re also expensive.

By harnessing the power of the sun, photovoltaic panels produce electricity and can render a household partially or wholly energy self-sufficient.

Adding a battery pack to your home will not change your EPC rating but will mean you don’t have to sell your excess electricity back to the grid for pennies per unit.

You'll need to do your sums and look at how long the investment will take to pay you back, as that is the point you start to make savings.

14. Fit Double Glazing -

If you have single glazing, upgrading to double or triple glazing can help with energy conservation. They will reduce heat lost through windows and can keep out noises, increasing the comfort inside your house.

I normally advise clients not to take out functional double glazing just to upgrade to new double glazing, due to the long payback period. But if you've got single glazing or you're about to do a major refurb, then go for it.

15. Install a Wind Turbine.

Provided your site lends itself to it you could install a wind turbine. Although are quite an undertaking to install, turbines can generate large amounts of electricity for homes, especially in areas with high wind speeds.

It’s a significant feature that can hike up your home’s EPC rating considerably. They also tend to harvest more electricity during winter months when we use more as it’s normally windier in the winter in the UK. Whereas PV and solar thermal panels produce less during the winter as the sun isn’t up as long.