How to reduce your bills and improve your property's EPC rating

The rising cost of living is squeezing everyone’s budgets, which means it is more important than ever for everyone to do everything they can to try to manage their energy use and reduce their bills. If you are considering putting your property on the market, improving its EPC rating will also increase how attractive it is to buyers.

How can you reduce your bills and improve the EPC rating of your property?

Smart meters

These allow you to have visibility of your energy usage in real time so that you know exactly how much you are spending each day.

Smart thermostats

These mean you can have more control over how you use your heating. Some smart thermostats will even turn the heating off when they identify that a property is empty and then turn it back on when you return, thus saving you from paying to heat an empty home. Research has indicated they can help reduce heating bills by between 12 and 23%.

Eco features

Many boilers have an ‘eco mode’ which stops water from being preheated. This means that it takes a little longer for hot water to come out of the tap, but it does save money.

LED bulbs

Make sure to replace all of your lightbulbs with LED ones. You can save an average of £40 every year just by using LED bulbs.

Radiator thermostats

These allow you to choose to boost the heat in the room that you are in rather than having to heat the whole property all the time, which will help to reduce your bills.

Insulate

Twenty-five percent of heat loss occurs through the roof, so you should make sure that your loft is well insulated. Doing so will also have a positive effect on your property’s EPC rating.

Double-glazed windows

Properties with double-glazed windows lose, on average, just 10% of their heat through their windows. According to research, single-glazed windows are responsible for up to 70% of a property's heat loss! Investing in double-glazing can have a large effect both on your bills and the EPC rating of your property.

Insulate your hot water cylinder

Check the thickness if you already have a jacket that fits over your tank. If it isn't at least 80mm thick, think about getting a new one. Increasing the insulation from 25mm to 80mm thick can save up to £70 per year.

We have seen a definite increase in the importance of EPC ratings to buyers. Many are wary of purchasing properties that cost a fortune to run. If you are considering selling your property and would like some advice on how to make it more energy efficient please give us a call on 01324 811 233 and we will be happy to help.