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Tips To Get A Better Energy Rating
A good energy
rating on your property should appeal to more potential
buyers and assist you reaching that all important asking
price for your asset. On this page are some tips you could
adopt to improve your score. During the survey, the energy
assessor concentrates on assessing the following key areas
of your home, so by adopting these tips can help improve the
overall efficiency of your home and get a better energy
rating when you come to sell. |
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Wall
Insulation
Did you know
that more heat in your home is lost through the walls than
through the roof? This makes sense as walls make up a large
surface area of your property and are prone to exposure from
the natural elements such as wind. Around 35% of heat in a
home is lost through external walls. Varying wall
construction means some walls insulate better than others
however, there are solutions available to better improve the
wall insulation of your property. |
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Solid Wall Construction
Many UK
properties, especially before 1920 have
solid walls. There are 2 ways to better
insulate solid walls. |
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External Solid Wall Insulation
This involves
attaching standard size insulation boards to
the wall and finishing with a reinforced
render or cladding. The boards are between
40-90 mm thick and fixed to the wall with
adhesive and mechanical fixings. Always use
certified and approved materials and appoint
expert contractors to carry out the work to
achieve a good finish. External wall
insulation is quite expensive (approximately
£2000) but can save around £300 per year in
reduced energy bills. External solid wall
insulation is most cost-effective if
undertaking major renovation work on a
derelict property. Always notify your
building control officer before undertaking
this work. |
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Internal Solid Wall Insulation
Internal solid
wall insulation is similar to the procedure
for external wall insulation. Internal solid
wall insulation is more cost effective due
to the materials used. Internal solid wall
insulation involves fixing standard size
plasterboard backed with approximately 90mm
insulation foam material to the internal
walls separating the inside and the outside
of your property. At around £45 per m2 it
can save up to £300 per year in saved
heating bills. Internal solid wall
insulation can be carried out when
re-decorating a room and can be gradually
installed overtime to aid financial
pressure. Internal wall insulation can also
be carried out by a competent DIY
enthusiast. |
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Cavity Wall Insulation
Properties
with cavity walls (an air gap between the
wall) can have this cavity infilled with
insulating foam. Cavity wall construction
was introduced largely in the 1920’s but it
wasn’t until around the 1970’s - 80’s that
partial cavity wall insulation was
introduced in building construction and
later enforced by the building regulations.
Cavity wall insulation involves drilling
holes at select intervals into the external
wall and pumping insulation foam into the
cavity. A specialist contractor should be
appointed to carry out this work and to
provide necessary advice as not all
properties are suitable to infilled cavity
wall insulation. At a cost of around £600,
cavity wall insulation by this method could
save you around £150 per year in energy
costs. Infact, if every household had cavity
wall insulation, the UK would save over £962
million in energy every year! |
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Loft
Insulation
Approximately 25% of heat is lost through the roof of a
property. To overcome this, a loft or other type of roof
space should contain a standard 270mm thickness of
insulation. Mineral fibre is the most common material
however, there are other alternatives available which are
also better to work with. Loft insulation is not expensive
at around £400 and can save you around £200 a year in
heating costs. Increasing loft insulation can be carried out
by a competent DIY enthusiast however, seek professional
advice first as increased loft insulation could lead to
condensation build up on roof rafters if not adequately
ventilated or the overheating of electrical installations
within the ceiling which could lead to fire. |
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Heating
Systems and Controls
Boilers are our most expensive
energy appliance to run in terms of fuel costs and therefore
need to be efficient in their heat output. Condensation
boilers are the most efficient boilers available with an
efficiency rating of approximately 95%. Condensation boilers
contain a second heat exchanger, which recovers heat from
the flue gases from the primary system and uses it for space
heating. Older boilers do not do this and this heat is lost
to the outside. Condensation boilers get their name because
they produce condensate, which needs to be connected to the
sewer system so seek advice and plan the location of your
boiler correctly.
A good efficient boiler is no good with out adequate
controls throughout the property to measure space heating
and tell the boiler when to shut off. A property should have
the following controls as a minimum: |
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At least
one room thermostat (more in larger
properties) to measure the room temperature
and shut the boiler down when this
temperature is reached. A room thermostat
should be set at 21°C and placed in a room
that has little fluctuation in room
temperature i.e. hallways or dining rooms
but not kitchens or the living room
containing secondary heating. |
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Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRV): These
radiator attachments measure heat output and
close the valve to stop flow to the radiator
when the room has reached its optimum
temperature. Numbers on the valve correspond
to various temperatures depending on
manufacturers instructions. TRV’s should be
installed on all radiators except the
radiator(s) in the same room as the room
thermostat. The boiler should also have a
bypass fitted. Seek advice from the boiler
manufacturer before installing TRV’s. |
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Programmer: As a minimum, a programmer
should be installed to tell the boiler when
to switch on and off over a 24 hour period.
There are many other types of programmers
and sensing devices to control the boiler
however, as a basic requirement a programmer
should be fitted which independently
controls the flow to the central heating
system and hot water cylinder, if you have
one. |
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Hot Water
Cylinder If you
have a hot water cylinder, ensure it is suitably insulated.
Many cylinders have factory supplied insulating foam
however, some have a hot water cylinder jacket. If your hot
water cylinder only has a jacket make sure the jacket
thickness is the nominal 160mm thickness. Also ensure that a
thermostat is securely attached to the outside of the
cylinder to control the boiler to switch off when the
optimal temperature of 60°C has been reached. Consult a
qualified electrician to carry out any electrical work on
your central heating system. |
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Further
Measures
Solar Energy
The sun is a natural source of heat and electricity for you
home. Modern technology allows us to efficiently convert
solar radiation into electrical energy and heat through the
use of photovoltaic cells and solar hot water panels. These
solar panels can be placed on the roof of your property
without compromising the aesthetics of your property. Solar
hot water panels can heat all the hot water for your daily
use while photovoltaic cells produce your electrical energy.
If you conserve energy in your home well, there is great
potential to sell any surplus energy back to the energy
grid. Having such panels installed on your property will
ultimately reduce your fuel costs and provide long term
financial gains. Solar panels can also help increase the
market potential of your property. Overall, solar energy
helps reduce our impact on the environment and the
consequences of climate change. It is recommended that solar
panels be installed by a professional contractor. If
appointing a qualified contractor, choose a local contractor
as this reduces unnecessary carbon emissions and supports
local businesses. For more information on solar energy
please visit our useful links page.
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And
Finally
Other energy saving factors that should now be within all
domestic properties are: |
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100 % Double
glazed windows |
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Low energy light
bulbs in all fixed outlets. Alternative low energy
LED bulbs are available to replace 50W Halogen down
lights and only use about 10W of energy per bulb.
They can be bought at any DIY store or electrical
outlet for about £5 and last much, much longer than
the standard 50W halogen bulb. |
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Last of all,
to save even more money, grants may be available for some of
the tips mentioned above so, consult you local council to
find out if you qualify for an energy saving grant.
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Accredited by the Building
Research Establishment |
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