Home Lifestyle PropertyHome Improvements Easy EPC upgrade wins for landlords

epIMS has shone a light on just what matters when it comes to an EPC rating, how the score is calculated and what improvements are most worthwhile when it comes to boosting an EPC score as 95% of landlords admit to not know the current points score held by their property.

How are EPC ratings calculated?ย 

EPC ratings are graded alphabetically from A to G. But an important fact that has gone widely unreported is that there is actually a numerical points system at work below the surface.ย  For example, a score of between 92-100 SAP points gives a rating of A, 81-91 points gives a rating of B, and 69-80 points gives a rating of C.

This is important knowledge for landlords because it means that a property with a rating of D could be just one point, and therefore one minor improvement, away from upgrading to a C.

Majority of landlords unaware of EPC calculation methods

Despite this, only 5% of landlords know how their property scores when it comes to these numerical points.

Research fromย epIMS, the EPC and energy efficiency platform developed for landlords, reveals how many EPC points landlords can expect to add by carrying out some common energy efficiency improvements.

The easy wins

If a property is on the very edge of breaking into an improved EPC rating, there are a number of small improvements that can be made to add the required couple of points to push the overall score into a higher rating.

For example, adding a hot water cylinder insulation adds an average of +1.7 points; a hot water cylinder thermostat adds +2.4 points; and installing low energy lighting adds an average of +1.1 points.

Prioritise points added rather than energy efficiency

It might sound counterintuitive, but adding the most sustainable features to a home isnโ€™t always the best way to add points and therefore improve an EPC rating.

For example, a BIOMASS boiler is often said to be the most eco-friendly way of heating a home, but in terms of EPC points, they donโ€™t score as highly as more traditional heating methods.

In fact, a standard condensing gas boiler adds an average of +23 points, whereas a BIOMASS boiler only adds +12 points. So switching from a gas boiler to a BIOMASS boiler would actually reduce EPC points despite the latter being considered the cream of the crop from an eco standpoint.

Alternative energyย is one way of adding a lot of EPC points with solar panels adding an average of +9.91 points, whilst a wind turbine can add +6.39 points.

Improved insulation is another great way of adding EPC points. The go-to option is often double glazing, but not only is it expensive, it only adds an average of +3.3 points.

Bigger jobs such loft insulation (+4.9 points) and wall insulation (+7.7 points) can be far more beneficial, however, it is room in roof insulation (+9.91 points) that is the most effective measure when it comes to improving an EPC score.

COO of epIMS, Craig Cooper, said, โ€œThe push for EPC improvements is on and by 2030, landlords will be expected to hold a minimum C rating.

Whilst the estimated cost of achieving a C rating comes in at around ยฃ8,000, many landlords may find that they pour a far greater amount of money into their property without seeing any real improvement to their EPC score.

Thatโ€™s because the vast majority remain unaware that an EPC rating is based on a points system and understanding this is the first step to making home improvements that will actually make a difference when it comes to improving an EPC score.

Of course, this knowledge is only useful if you know what score your property currently holds and exactly how many points youโ€™re going to get from each particular efficiency upgrade available.

Thatโ€™s why weโ€™ve developed epIMS and our platform utilises advanced algorithms and AI to calculate exactly how a property can best reach the next EPC rating band.โ€

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